Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
by heymamawolf
Summary: Syd has two weeks off for the holidays. Vaughn's younger sister, Juliana, comes to LA to spend time with her brother.
1. Good Times For A Change

Title: "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"  
  
[Title and title of the first chapter compliments of "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" by The Smiths]   
  
Disclaimer: Everything is JJ Abrams's except for Juliana Vaughn who is all mine!   
  
Summary: Syd has two weeks off for the holidays. Vaughn's younger sister Juliana comes to spend time with her loving brother. That sounds really boring, but yeah, its not really...or maybe, I don't know. Read and find out.   
  
Author's Note: I have a feeling this will be a sappy sappy piece. I'll try to refrain from too much sappiness. Clearly, it's a S/V fic. I'm a junkie, please forgive me. I've succumbed to the holiday fic. But hopefully it will grow into something more. It's my first fic ever, so please be nice. I didn't really want to post it but decided, what the hell, i might as well. Haha, that rhymes. I should stop now, and on with the show! 

****

Chapter 1: Good Times For A Change  
  
_Good times for a change   
See, the luck I've had   
Can make a good man   
Turn bad  
  
'Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want' The Smiths_   
  
"So, as of now, we've pretty much got the ball in our court. _We_ have the lastest Rambaldi intel, not SD-6 -- Thanks to you, of course." Sydney smiled warmly at Vaughn's open praise.   
  
"So what's our next move?" Syd asked intently.   
  
"Well, according to your report, SD-6 is slowing down its operations for the next few weeks. Now that coupled with the fact that we have the fact that we have this information that SD-6 doesn't, basically means that we can take our time on this. Since Sloane's given you now until New Year's off, Devlin's decided to follow suit."   
  
"What? Are you sure?" Sydney asked slightly confused, "Wouldn't this be the perfect opportunity to get ahead of the game, especially since I wouldn't have to deal with Dixon or going around Sloane?"  
  
"Normally, yes," Vaughn said taking a deep breath as he turned to face Syd more directly, "but Devlin and I both agreed you need some time off. Syd, I really want you to relax. The next few weeks, or even months for that matter, are goin gto be a rough go. Clearly, you always give your all, but I really think you'll benefit from some rest and time to come to terms with everything thats been going on lately."   
  
Syd smiled gratefully, nodding her head in agreement.   
  
"Thank you, Vaughn. That really means a lot to me."   
  
Vaughn smiled back to her, holding her gaze for a moment, then quickly turning his attention to the papers he was gathering before him.   
  
"So, what plans do you have for Christmas?" He asked, genuinely interested.  
  
"Oh, nothing much. Christmas Eve I'll probably have dinner with Francie, Will, and Will's sister Amy. But they're all heading out Christmas Day to spend time with their families."  
  
Vaughn thought about asking Syd about Jack...Whether they might be spending time together this holiday season, but decided not to, agreeing with his better judgement. "Oh really? Are their families nearby? It seems like a stretch to spend Christmas Eve in LA if their folks are out of town."   
  
"Well, Will's are down in San Diego and Francie's are maybe a half hour from here."  
  
"So, you're going to be spending Christmas all alone?" Vaughn asked incredulously. Sydney laughed at his apparent shock.   
  
"Vaughn, I'm pretty capable of taking care of myself. I'm a big girl you know."  
  
"No, it's not that...it's just that its _Christmas_, and...you know..." He said sympathetically.   
  
"Yeah, I know," Syd responded with a hint of sadness, "but like you said, it _would_ be nice to have time to myself; to think about and reflect on everything thats happened to me. Everything has really snowballed as of late, and, as much as I don't want to admit it, I have really hidden myself behind my work."   
  
"Well, " Vaughn started, giving Sydney his full attention, "if you need to talk, or just feel bored even, you know where to reach me."   
  
"I know...Thanks." Syd smiled, appreciating the gesture. Vaughn returned the her smile gladly. "So, what about you? What are your plans?"  
  
"Since my Mom's out of the country and I can't really leave LA right now, I'm basically just staying here....Catching up with some old friends, and my little sister is actually coming into town today."   
  
"Oh, you have a _younger sister_? I had no clue." Syd said grinning at the thought of a young Vaughn arguing with his little sister.   
  
"Well, you never asked." Vaughn responded flirtatiously. Syd smiled shyly as she felt her cheeks redden. Vaughn grinned as he noted Syd's reaction.  
  
"Well, you never _mentioned_." Syd shot back.   
  
"Hey, thats not--" Suddenly he checked his watch with a jolt. "Crap. I was supposed to meet up with her 10 minutes ago." Vaughn said as he started to check his voice mail for any messages from the younger Vaughn. "I should probably get out of here before I lose my 'loving brother' title."   
  
Syd laughed, nodding her head in agreement.  
  
"So...I'll see in two weeks?"  
  
"Yeah, of course," Vaughn said suddenly serious. "Rest up, Syd, and have a good vacation."   
  
"I will."   
  
"And Merry Christmas," He added on with a growing smile.   
  
"You too."   
  
Syd smiled to herself as she watched Vaughn make his way out of the warehouse frantically. The idea of Vaughn being an older brother would take a little getting used to. In a wierd and twisted way, Syd was jealous of his younger sister. Wierd and twisted, indeed. She quickly shook off that idea and began wondering what Vaughn's family life might be like.   
  
_I definately see Vaughn as the overprotective older brother who doesnt want to see his younger sister get hurt. Always going too far, and always dealing with his sister's protests that he doesn't want to see her happy._  
  
Syd sighed contently, pleased with the image of "loving brother Vaughn" she had built up in her mind.   
  
_Or better yet, 'loving brother Mike.'_  
  
As Sydney left the warehouse, she began thinking about her relationship with her handler. Since the day she forged an alliance (of necessity of course) with Sark, her relationship with Vaughn hadn't been the same. Things had been pretty strained for awhile, especially with Alice. Even when Vaughn explained the whole misunderstanding, Syd just shot him down...  
  
_"Syd, I...I just wanted to tell you..."  
  
"What, Vaughn?" Syd responded impatiently.  
  
"Nothing is going on between me and Alice. Her Dad was sick...really sick actually, and as you know, he passed away. I really felt obligated to be there for her as a friend, nothing more, especially since I know the pain of losing a father."   
  
"Vaughn, why are you explaining this to me?" Syd asked exasperatedly. "You don't have to justify your private life to me. It's not like you were cheating on me...you're my **handler**, Vaughn, **not** my boyfriend."  
  
Vaughn stood, stunned by Sydney's cold words. He collected himself quickly as he watched regret wash over Syd's face.   
  
"Vaughn, I'm so so--" Syd started to apologize but was quickly cut off by Vaughn.   
  
"No, Sydney, you're completely right. I don't have to explain anything to you. I don't know what I was thinking. I'll see you when you get back from Madrid." Vaughn left the room swiftly and silently.   
  
Syd slowly felt her defenses fall as she sat in a sobbing heap on the floor of the warehouse._  
  
Syd shook her head, trying to rid herself of those painful memories. She never came out to directly apologize to Vaughn for her hurtful words, because she was too afriad of the implications. That would of course lead to some confession, clearly. And she was completely terrified of what she knew would inevitably happen if they confessed their attraction to each other. Instead, she let her actions reflect her regret. Much was left unsaid between the two, but much was mutually understood, and she now truly believed that their atypical "relationship" had mended itself. The trust and understanding had returned, in time, and there was once again an open channel of communication between the two fo them, which was all Sydney felt she really needed in her life. Someone she could talk to. Someone she didn't have to lie to. Someone who could understand her.   
  
She really was thankful for her upcoming vacation, even though she'd much rather work. She found a strange comfort in disguising herself, hiding all emotions behind the guise of some foreign aristocrat. But now, she more than anyone knew that actually having time to sit and think about her life was desperately needed. It was a rare occasion when she could do so, and she knew she had to take advantage of it.   
  
**END CHAPTER 1**  



	2. Getting To Know You

****

bChapter 2 -- Getting to Know You/b  
  
"Mikey!"   
  
An energetic young woman with brilliant green eyes and light brown hair ran excitedly into Michael Vaughn's arms.   
  
"Hey, sweetie! I didn't make you wait too long, did I?"  
  
"Of course not, you know how at home I feel at airports anyway. Plus, my flight was a little delayed...I've only been waiting for a few minutes."  
  
"Okay, good. Now I don't feel as bad about coming late." Vaughn said picking up his sister's luggage and carrying it toward the automatic doors.   
  
"Hey! Guilt should still be felt. I was expecting to be greeted by my dear loving brother at the gate as I got off the plane. My heart was broken for a whole fifteen seconds. Fifteen seconds of pain. Fifteen seconds I can never get back..."   
  
Vaughn sighed and rolled his eyes as the automatic doors opened, exposing them to the cool air that had recently hit the LA area. "I'm not even going to respond to that," Vaughn said trying to keep a straight face, but failing miserably as his sister, Juliana (or simply Jules to him) broke out into a fit of laughter. She was approaching 30, yet Vaughn swore that she was still ten.   
  
"Jules, all I have to say is thank God you went into medicine and not acting."   
  
"Hey! I bet I'm better than most people on TV today. Take Anna Nicole Smith for instance."   
  
Vaughn cringed at the sound of the woman's name.   
  
"Oh God, please no," he said as he unlocked the car and began putting Jules's baggage into the car's trunk.   
  
"Ha! My point I_exactly/I?_"  
  
"What a point, indeed," Vaughn said as he got into the car, "what was the point again?"  
  
Jules laughed at her brother's characteristic playfulness, nudging him lovingly as he started the car.   
  
"Hey! Watch it! This is an expensive suit!"  
  
"Oh yeah, like Mr. CIA Agent-Man doesn't have a million others just like it at home."  
  
Juliana was the only person outside of Vaughn's friends and collegues in the CIA that knew what his true occupation was. They both decided it would be best to keep it from their mother -- the death of their father had been hard enough. They knew she wouldn't be able to bear seeing her only son take the same occupation that violently claimed the life of her husband. Juliana, on the other hand, forced it out of him. She suspected something sketchy was going on, and called Michael on it. No secrets were kept between the two of them I_ever/I_, and she was determined to keep it that way.   
  
"And since when would a nudge mess up a whole suit anyway? Never, that's when."   
  
"You could have greasy hands!"  
  
"After being on a plane for the last 6 hours?"  
  
"The peanuts are salted!"  
  
"I'm allergic to peanuts!"  
  
"Your hands could be sweaty!"  
  
"Yeah, because I was just I_dying/I_ of anticipation to see you," Jules quipped sarcastically, "Since when are you so anal?!"  
  
"Since now, alright?"   
  
Vaughn laughed at the bickering that overtook the two of them so easily. Neither of them really cared about what they were "fighting" about, but old habits die hard.   
  
"So, Mikey," Jules started as she fidgeted with Vaughn's car radio, "what was so important that made you forget about your own flesh and blood?"   
  
"Just work, thats all," Vaughn said, dismissing the issue quickly, piquing Jules's interest.   
  
"Are you sure...?" She asked devilishly as she settled on a radiostation.   
  
"What do you mean, 'am I sure'"? Vaughn asked laughing to cover up his nervousness when talking about anything remotely related to Sydney Bristow, "of course I'm sure!"  
  
Juliana just smiled.  
  
"Alright, alright," she responded, knowing that it probably had something to do with that double agent of his -- Sydney...Sydney...Sydney Something. Yeah, well she was always a pretty sore subject when it came to Mike, so Jules decided to steer clear of any trouble.   
  
"So what have you been up to the last few months, Jules?"  
  
~~~  
I_Syd and Francie's Apartment/I_  
  
"Hey guys!"   
  
Sydney greeted her two friends, who were gathered around the Christmas tree, starting to decorate it.   
  
"Thank God you're here Syd," Francie said handing her a box of ornaments, "we were about to start without you."   
  
"Oh Francie, you know you could have gotten this done weeks ago...You really didn't have to wait until I had free time. You know how I am with free time..."   
  
"Oh, trust me, we know," Will added smiling at Syd. Syd smiled back, recognizing the double meaning behind Will's words.   
  
Things really had changed between her and Will since that fateful night in Paris, when Will learned the truth. She never thought anything good could have come from that night, and she was almost completely right...Will got tortured, lost his job at the newspaper, and had to endure the pressures of a drug addiction that he really didn't have. Despite all of that, Syd felt like her relationship with Will had grown immensely. They were better friends than they had ever been, and it was nice to actually have someone to unload on...someone to relax around. With Will she didn't always need to have her guard up, and that was nice. Times were rough for Will, but he was getting along with the help of Vaughn of course, and the CIA research job he got for him. Vaughn...What would she do without him? She sincerely had no idea, whatsoever. He was the stability in her life, and she was thankful for it. Whether they could be together or not.   
  
"So it looks like I didn't miss too much," Sydney said smiling as Christmas cheer brightened her spirits.   
  
"Nah, we have a while to go." Francie said, pulling lights out of the box and walking toward the door, "we have to get this drab little place filled with holiday spirit by tomorrow night, because we all know how Amy will react if this place doesn't match her quota of Christmas-ness."   
  
Will laughed. "Yeah, and you don't want to make Amy upset on Christmas Eve...She will literally bite your head off. No joke. See this scar?" Will asked pointing to a faint patch of darkness right below his hairline, "Christmas Eve '78"  
  
Sydney rolled her eyes at Will's lame attempt at a joke and pushed him lightly. "Oh, don't let me forget...We have to do some last minute grocery shopping before tomorrow night."  
  
"Sure thing," Francie responded.   
  
~~~  
  
"Jules, I seriously have no clue how people are willing to put their ill children in your care."   
  
"Hey! I take offense to that! That's so not cool, Mikey, so not cool."   
  
"You know I'd let you take care of my kid when I have one, so it's alright."   
  
"Speaking of which," Jules said, helping Vaughn by unlocking the door to his apartment for him, "when will I be getting a lovely niece or nephew?"  
  
"Actually..." Vaughn said exaustedly, as he put down her luggage in the living room, "it should be coming in any day now."   
  
Jules almost choked on her drink, "WHAT?!"   
  
"Yeah, I ordered it a few days ago for you for Christmas...Ebay is wonderful, isn't it? Well, yeah, I really hope you like it. I won't tell you whether it's a girl or boy, because that would _really_ ruin the suprise."   
  
Jules breathed a sigh of relief before attacking Vaughn with soft, playful punches.   
  
"You...You...You fool!"   
  
"Ouch. That really stung, Jules. Seriously, it hurt me right here," Vaughn said placing his hand over his heart.  
  
"So, Mikey..." Jules said, suddenly turning serious as she sat comfortably on the couch, "how has work been going?"   
  
Vaughn's expression turned from one of carefree playfulness to one of sullen concern.   
  
"Jules, you know that I don't like talking about my job."   
  
"That's exactly why you need to talk to me," Jules watched Vaughn with concern as he walked into the Kitchen and began to pour himself some soda, "Mike, it's not healthy to keep everything bottled up. Clearly, something is going on with you and your double agent. Sydney...Sydney Something. Talk to me Mikey."  
  
Vaughn sat on the couch beside her, drawing in a deep breath as he did so.  
  
"It's just...hard."   
  
"I know," Jules said, rubbing Vaughns hand lovingly. "How bout this. I treat you to a lovely dinner at the restaurant of _your_ choice, and you can tell me all about it."   
  
Juliana knew all about Vaughn's dysfunctional relationship with his agent...up until his trip to Taipei. She knew that his agent's mother was some deadly Russian agent who was a killer and enemy of the United States, but Vaughn decided not to fill Jules in on the fact that she killed their father. There was no need to rehash painful memories...he knew that better than anyone. Jules knew that her brother clearly loved this Sydney woman, and seeing what happened after Mike was hospitalized after their incident in Taipei, she was starting to think that maybe she loved him back.   
  
I_I mean, who would risk their own life so willingly for someone that they didn't love?/I_ Jules thought. But she knew their relationship was a strange one, and she had to tread with caution when it came to talking about it. But there was obviously something bothering her brother and she was determined to find out what it was.   
  
"I thought you were the guest?" Vaughn asked playfully. "I'm the one that's supposed to be treating _you_."   
  
"How bout this. You choose a restaurant that I like, you pay, and I grace you with my wonderful presence. Sound even?"   
  
Vaughn laughed. Typical Jules.   
  
"Sounds great."   
  
b**END CHAPTER 2** /b


	3. Green Eyed Boy Meets A Brown Eyed Girl

****

bChapter Three - [Green] Eyed Boy Meets A Brown Eyed Girl/b  
  
I_Title taken from U2's "The Sweetest Thing"/I_  
  
"I couldn't have chosen a better restaurant myself," Jules said beaming.   
  
"That's because you I_did/I_ choose it," Vaughn said as they walked into Balluchi's.   
  
"No I didn't, you just I_happened/I_ to choose my favorite," Jules replied happily. Vaughn just grinned as the waitress approached them.   
  
"Right this way," She said, grabbing two menus.   
  
"Do you think we could actually have that booth over there?" Jules asked, politely pointing a booth in the back.   
  
The waitress looked at her like she was completely crazy.   
  
"I'm not sure if I can give a party of two a booth that's meant to seat six...we're pretty busy tonight..."   
  
"Mike..." Jules sighed exhaustedly under her breath.   
  
As if by cue, Vaughn stepped forward and lowered his tone.  
  
"I know this is a lot to ask on such a busy night, ,but me and my _sister_ would really appreciate it if we co0uld have a booth..." Vaughn said flirtatiously as he discreetly slipped a twenty into the woman's hand. She sighed and shook her head in defeat.   
  
"It _is_ almost Christmas, and I don't want to be known as a Scrooge...Right this way."   
  
Jules covered her mouth with her hand to suppress her laughter.   
  
I_Apparently, Mike's still got it.../I_  
  
"I'll give you two a few minutes to look over the menus, and then ill be back to take your orders," the waitress said, suddenly very sweet. As the woman left, Jules rested her head, face down, on the table as her body shook with a fit of laughter.   
  
"What?" Vaughn asked confused, "you always make me do that. Because spoiled little Jules always gets what she wants..."   
  
"Hey! First of all, I'm so not spoiled," Jules shot back, still laughing, "and second of all, it's just that it's hilarious to see you do that -- don't ask me why."   
  
"Sounds good to me," Vaughn replied as he perused the menu.   
  
"There's no need to look -- you know you're just gonna get the same thing you always get."   
  
"Oh, will I?" Vaughn asked threateningly.   
  
Jules shook her head sadly. "Whatever you say, brother."   
  
After staring at her menu for a few moments, Jules placed it on the table. "So...Mike..."   
  
"Yeah?" Vaughn asked, looking up from his menu.   
  
Jules looked at him like he should know what to say.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Mike, I'm here, You're here, but the words aren't here."   
  
"Words? What words?"   
  
"The words that are supposed to be coming out of your mouth about a certain something...or I_someone/I_ rather..."   
  
"Ah, yes, I_that/I_..."  
  
Suddenly, the cheery waitress (who was clearly faking her enthusiasm) approached the table once more. "So, are you two ready to order?"  
  
"Yes, please," Vaughn said eager to change the subject. Jules glared at him with a glint of evil in her eye. "I'll have the lobster ravioli with a side salad, and if you could bring the salad out as an appetizer, I'd really appreciate it."   
  
"See, always the same thing..." Jules said under her breath.   
  
"And what dressing would you like with your salad?"   
  
"I_French/I_, please," Vaughn replied, shooting a devious look Jules's way. Jules raised her eyebrows sarcastically as she let out a muffled laugh.   
  
"Funny, last time I checked, you were allergic to French..."   
  
"I_On the side/I,_ please," Vaughn added quickly, glaring at Jules.   
  
"And you?" The woman asked, motioning to Jules.   
  
"Um...I'd like the veggie lasagna," she started, "and we'd both like the Bruschetta as an appetizer. And also, a bottle of your best wine. Thanks."   
  
"Best wine?" Vaughn questioned as the woman left. "Do you plan on paying for this meal?"   
  
"N--" Jules started but was quickly cut off by her big brother.   
  
"I didn't think so. Then what, dear sister, gives you the right to go off ordering the 'best wine'?" Jules sighed exaustedly.   
  
"I'll pay for the freakin' wine. Geez."   
  
"You better."  
  
"Mike, enough with the games."   
  
"What games?"  
  
"Michael, I'm serious."   
  
Vaughn quickly sobered up and put all the joking aside. His face took on a slightly pained expression as he forced the words to come out.   
  
"You know it's just protocol..."   
  
"Screw protocol. You always have and always will, expecially when it comes to her. Clearly, it's something other than that."   
  
Vaughn covered his face with both his hands and rubbed his eyes wearily.  
  
"Jules..."  
  
"What? Enough with the dramatics and tell me, dammit!"  
  
"I think I'm in love with her." Vaughn breathed simply.   
  
Jules sighed loudly and slammed her napkin down on the table. "Okay, Mike, I'm sure that was huge for you to admit and all -- your big revelation after almost a year of denial. But quite frankly, I've known it for quite awhile. So lets move on to what's I_really/I_ bothering you."  
  
Vaughn stared at his sister, mouth agape.  
  
"But--"  
  
"No buts."   
  
They sat in silence for a moment as Vaughn sat slightly dazed and confused, but recovering quickly.   
  
"Um...She met Alice?...And thought we were dating...?" Vaughn asked questioningly.   
  
"What?! When?! How?!" Jules asked shocked.   
  
Vaughn went on to explain the whole Alice drama and the pain that was inflicted upon him to a shocked Jules.   
  
"And she didn't even apologize?" Jules asked apparently blown away by the news she was hearing for the first time.   
  
"No...not really..."   
  
"Well, then she doesn't deserve you," Jules snapped, "it's as easy as that." Vaughn laughed at his sisters response.   
  
"No, it's not. See Jules, things aren't that simple when it comes to _her_. I know she regreted what she said -- believe me, I know. But she's not the kind of person who will just come out and apologize straightforwardly. She's incredibly stubborn. But in this case, she used her stubbornness to hide the fact that she's afraid of the consequences. Shes terrified of what would happen if we both admitted that we cared about each other." Vaughn paused for a moment as he played with his napkin. "...And I am too. So I went along with it. I forgave her. Even though she didn't come out and say 'Vaughn, I'm so incredibly sorry for snapping at you after you pretty much declared your love to me in that wierd-ass indirect way you've pretty much mastered.' Because she doesn't have to. It's understood, and now things are finally back to normal."  
  
"If everything is back to your twisted idea of 'normal', what's the problem?"  
  
Vaughn covered his face once more, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. "Like I said, I think I'm in love with her." He said behind his hands.   
  
Jules started rubbing her temples with frustration. "Mikey..." She started in an angry tone, but was cut short by Vaughn.   
  
"No, Jules, you don't understand. You don't understand what could happen to us if we--"  
  
"No, Mike, I don't _need_ to understand. You just don't get it, do you? You never gave a sh-t about protocol, especially when it came to this woman -- if you really do love her, like you said, protocol is the last thing you're thinking about. If you love someone -- if you really care about them that deeply -- you _find_ a way to be with them, regardless of the consequences. Whatever they might be. And that's the bottom line."   
  
Vaughn sighed sadly. "See, Jules, in your world, that's true. But in our world -- its a Hell of a lot easier, _and safer_, said than done."   
  
Jules just stared sympathetically at her emotionally exausted brother. I_Enough of this/I_, she thought to herself.   
  
"Hey, let's lighten the mood a little -- lets talk about something fun, like...poop."   
  
Vaughn shook his head a grin started to grow on his face. "Jules, you're hopeless."   
  
"No, my friend, I_you/I_ are the hopeless one. Plus, it works on my patients, why wouldn't it work on you?"   
  
"Your patients are between the ages of 2 and 12."   
  
"But it worked on you -- are you or are you not smiling?"  
  
Vaughn laughed at his sister's blatant attempt at cheering him up. I_She was always great at doing that../I._ Vaughn thought to himself as their food arrived.   
  
~~~  
  
I_Cut to Sydney, Will, and Francie/I_  
  
"Don't you guys think we should have stayed at home and finished getting the place ready for tomorrow?" Syd asked as they got out of their car and walked toward Balluchi's.   
  
"Syd, we haven't dont this in ages..." Francie replied excitedly, "it'll be a fun way to celebrate your two week vacation from work. Thank God those slave drivers got some sense knocked into them."   
  
Sydney chuckled at Francie's frustration.  
  
I_If only she really knew.../I_  
  
"Yeah, you're definately right," Syd said, getting increasingly excited, "we really haven't done this in ages...So we should really live it up."   
  
"That's my girl," Will joked, patting Sydney's back affectionately as they entered the restaurant.   
  
Suddenly, Sydney saw a familiar face sitting at the booth in the far corner. Quickly realizing who it was, she discreetly pulled Will's sleeve, motioning to the table in the back. Will looked up casually, but their actions didn't go unnoticed by Francie.   
  
"What's up, you guys?"   
  
"Um..." Will stammered, unable to come up with a good excuse. Sydney still had her eyes fixed on a certain green eyed handler seated in the back. Francie followed Syd's stare, and quickly put two and two together.   
  
"That's him, isn't it?" Francie said with a smile.   
  
"Who?" Sydney asked, realizing that playing dumb was the only way to go.   
  
"Syd...you're a horrible liar you realize that, right?" Francie said, proud that she'd solved the mystery. Syd laughed to herself.   
  
I_That's what you think.../I_  
  
"Is that really him? _The_ Michael? Work Michael that you've been pining over?" Francie asked glancing back at the table once more, before being pulled aside by Syd.   
  
"Don't stare."   
  
"You never told me how cute he is..." Francie said and her smile grew, "is that his girlfriend?"   
  
"No, I don't think so...He said he broke up...plus that's not her, I met Alice." Syd said trying to act preoccupied and unnoticable.   
  
"Do you want to go to another restaurant, Syd? We can always go somewhere else." Will offerred, desperate to get his best friend out of this awkward and extremely dangerout situation.   
  
"No. We aren't going to another restaurant. We are staying here, and we're going to join Michael and that other woman."   
  
"What if he's on a date, Fran? How awkward would that be for the both of them? You really have to think realistically here."   
  
The realization hit Syd suddenly.   
  
I_What of he **is** on a date? Oh God...He looks so happy, and relaxed, and...so incredibly good. I don't want to ruin it by barging in on him.../I_  
  
"Yeah, Francie, Will is right. I really don't think that would be a good idea." Syd added in.   
  
"Well, Syd, it doesn't matter what you think, because I think you were just invited over there." Francie replied, motioning over to the table. Syd's locked on Vaughn's. Suddenly, her fear turned to giddy anxeity as he smiled sweetly. The woman with Vaughn waved to them to come join them.   
  
I_Oh man, here goes nothing.../I_  
  
~~~  
  
"I felt like I was ten all over again...it was horrible!" Jules said inbetween giggles.   
  
"Jules, I hate to break it to you, but--"  
  
Vaughn almost choked on his food as he spotted Syd, Will, and who he presumed to be Francie walk through the door to the restaurant.   
  
"Mike! Are you alright?" Jules asked concerned.   
  
"Um...yeah..." He said in between coughs.   
  
"Geez, you look like you just saw a ghost...Drink some water." Jules said handing him his glass of water. Clearly, Vaughn's attention was elsewhere. Jules followed his gaze through the restaurant to a group of three standing by the entrance. Quickly, she honed in on the Sydney. "That's her, isn't it?" She asked turning back to talk to Vaughn. He stayed silent. "That's her." Jules reaffirmed to herself. She turned around to check her out once more. "Wow, she's pretty. And she looks like she's a nice girl."   
  
Vaughn pulled Jules's arm, making her turn around and face him once again.   
  
"Don't stare! She'll notice!" Vaughn demanded adamantly.   
  
"Hey, I've heard so much about this Sydney girl, I should have the right to check her out."   
  
"But not here...She'll see us..."   
  
"I'm sorry, Mikey, but I think she already saw us," Jules said motioning to the three of them with her head. Vaughn looked up discreetly, noting Syd arguing with Francie, and occasionally looking up at their table.   
  
"Oh God. What now?" He asked, frightened.   
  
"We ask her over to join us!"   
  
"WHAT?! We so can't do that. Did you happen to forget our situation?"  
  
"And dear Michael, did you happen to forget that this place is clean? It's owned by that cute Italian agent that you're such good friends with's family...remember?"   
  
"But still..."   
  
"No buts. Heres what you're gonna do. You're gonna look at her, make eye contact, smile sweetly, and I'll motion for them to join us. Then we'll just wing it from there."   
  
"Wing it?!"   
  
"Just do it, Mike. Now."  
  
"Okay, okay..."   
  
Vaughn looked up to Sydney and her friends, who were apparently still in a heated debate. Francie seemed pretty set on something, but Syd looked desperate to change her mind...and Will? Will just looked angry. I_Huh, interesting./I_ Vaughn thought to himself, slightly happy at the fact that Will might actually be jealous of him. I_Come on Syd, come on...Look up...Look...up..../I_  
  
And right then, Francie nodded her head toward their table, and Syd looked up, locking eyes with Vaughn.   
  
"Smile, idiot!" Jules whispered loudly, as she turned around smiling.   
  
I_Smile...Check._ /I  
  
As Vaughn smiled he could have sworn he saw a glint in Syd's eye. He couldn't put his finger on what it was exactly...But at that point, it really didn't matter. He had bigger issues to deal with. Sydney smiled back sweetly, and gave a small wave.   
  
I_Oh God, oh God..._ /I  
  
Vaughn desperately tried to raise his hand to wave back, but he couldn't wipe the dumb grin on his face.   
  
"You are too much, Mikey." Jules said as she politely signaled for them to join her and her brother. "Just play it cool," She said simply as the three of them approached the table.   
  
"Cool? Got it." Vaughn said shaking the '9th Grade Michael Vaughn' from his face and nerves.   
  
I_Here goes nothing.../I_  
  
"Hey, Sydney!" Vaughn said, getting up from his seat to greet the three of them. Jules quickly got up to follow suit.   
  
"Hug. Her." Jules said barely audible, but loud enough for Vaughn to hear. "_Now_."   
  
Vaughn stepped up nervously to hug Sydney. She felt tense and nervous, but quickly comfortable.   
  
"Hey, Michael. These are my friends, Will Tippin and Francie Calfo." She said as she pulled away and motioned to Will and Francie respectively.  
  
"It's nice to meet the both of you." Vaughn said shaking both of their hands.   
  
"It's nice to meet you too," Francie said, cutting off Will's response, "we've heard so much about Michael from the bank."   
  
"Oh really?" Michael asked raising his eyebrows. "I hope it wasn't too horrible..."   
  
Francie laughed, shaking her head. "Nah, only good things."   
  
Suddenly, Jules coughed loudly and poked Vaughn with her elbow.   
  
"Oh! Sorry...This is my younger sister Juliana. Jules, this is Sydney Bristow...I work with her at the bank..."   
  
"Nice to meet you, Sydney," Jules said politely shaking Sydney's hand, "I've heard a lot about you." She winked jokingly at Syd prompting Vaughn to jab her, and Syd to turn bright red. "And nice to meet you guys also, Francie and...Will was it?"   
  
"Yeah," Will said smiling, welcoming Jules's flirtatious greeting.   
  
"So why don't you guys join us?" Jules asked. "We've got plenty of room..."   
  
"Oh, no, that's alright...we wouldn't want to interrupt your dinner," Syd said somewhat nervously. Francie nudged her, and gave her a "go for it!" look.   
  
"No, really, it's fine. Jules has this wierd thing about booths...so we always sit at one, even though they're meant to seat six. The waitress won't be as pissed if you guys join us." Vaughn added jokingly.   
  
"Are you sure?" Syd asked uncertainly.   
  
"Yeah, definately." Vaughn said smiling, as his anxiety was quickly washed away by the high he was always on whenever he was around Sydney.   
  
"Well, if you insist..." Syd said sitting down, still clearly uneasy about having dinner with Vaughn in public.   
  
"Yeah, I've always loved this place since I was younger...It's actually owned by an old _collegue_ of mine's family. For some reason I've always felt _safe_ in it..." Vaughn said, trying to convey the message that she had nothing to worry about in regards to their jobs and being seen. Syd quickly looked up, and Vaughn could tell she got the message by the suddenly relaxed look in her eyes.   
  
"I know exactly what you mean, Michael," Francie said, trying to get Vaughn's attention, but he was clearly taken by Sydney. Francie smiled and turned to Jules and Will, "I used to always go to this place down by the beach as a kid and..."   
  
b**END CHAPTER 3/b**  



	4. They're Going Back To The Start

****

Chapter Four - They're Going Back to the Start  
  
_Nobody said it was easy  
Oh it's such a shame for us to part  
Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said it would be so hard  
I'm going back to the start  
  
"The Scientist" Coldplay_  
  
Sydney and Vaughn both remained suspiciously quiet as the rest carried on their conversation. Jules nudged her brother and gave him a 'Since when did you of all people become a mute?' look before Francie spoke up.   
  
"So what do you do for a living, Juliana?" Francie asked, trying to make conversation.   
  
"Oh, I'm actually a pediatrics resident back east," Jules answered enthusiastically, clearly conveying her love for her job.   
  
"Perfect job for the ten year old trapped in a 29 year old's body, huh?" Vaughn joked, trying to break the ice.   
  
"Hey...I'd like to see you go through 4 years of med school plus residency, mister. It's a long hard road and I can guarantee you no ten year old could do it." Jules teased. "Just because I'm one with my inner child doesn't mean I'm childish."  
  
Vaughn laughed and nodded sarcastically, "Yeah, sure..."   
  
Syd laughed to herself...Seeing Vaughn like this -- so relaxed. At ease, even. With his _sister_ of all people...Never in a million years did she see herself in this situation...  
  
"What's so funny, Sydney?" Jules asked jokingly, playing off of the banter her and her brother always shared.   
  
"It's nothing really. It's just funny how different Michael is here than he is at work..." She said, glancing up at Vaughn. Vaughn scratched his head nervously.   
  
"Oh, really?" Jules asked, sensing that this might ease the tensions a little, "how so?"   
  
"Well..." Syd started, unsure as to whether she should share.   
  
_It's no big deal. I can be ambigous...I'm the master of ambiguous!_  
  
"It's just that, he's usually so...stressed." Syd said, looking up at Vaughn, who looked uncomfortable talking about work. "Which is completely understandable ...our work _is_ pretty stressful..."   
  
Jules looked at her brother, then back at Sydney. Clearly her senses fooled her. She'd pretty much made everything a whole lot more awkward. Not only with Vaughn and Syd, but also Will and Francie  
  
"Mikey, can't you loosen up on the work subject for one minute?" Jules asked, somewhat angrily. "He hates talking about work." she said turning to Sydney Personally, I think its _draining the life out of him_. Like you said, Sydney, he gets way too stressed...it's not healthy." Vaughn rolled his eyes.  
  
"I like to leave my work at work. If thats alright with you." Vaughn snapped to his sister, then looked sympathetically at Syd. Syd shot him an apologetic look, and Vaughn immediately felt bad for not 'playing it cool' like Jules insisted.   
  
"See, this just proves my point," Francie spoke up, "you guys work way too hard. Your boss is a slavedriver. Seriously, never in my life have I met someone who works as hard as Syd does, right Will?" Will looked up, startled.   
  
"Oh...Um yeah. Definately." Will said, looking preoccupied, not wanting to get involved in any conversation about Syd's work. He knew what an amazing person and agent she was. And if it wasn't for her, he'd be dead.   
  
"Francie, I don't want to get into this..."   
  
"No, Syd. I don't understand why you're in this job if it makes you so unhappy. You two clearly are into each other, but this damn job of yours doesn't even let you be together."  
  
"Francie..." Syd responded in a warning tone. Things were _not_ going the way she wanted them to...  
  
"What kind of a job puts restrictions on your personal life?"  
  
"Fran, lets not get into this here..." Will said trying to be the peacemaker.   
  
"My job does, alright? MY JOB DOES." Syd said, suddenly exploding. "Francie, quite frankly, I don't give a _damn_ what you think about my job. If you knew what I do _everyday_...if you knew what I go through...how important my job is, not only to me, but to the people I help and work with, _then_ you'd understand where im coming from. So _don't_ critisize me on the way I handle _my_ life and _my_ job."  
  
"Syd, you're a freaking banker, for goodness sake! How demanding can a _bank_ be?!"   
  
"You know what? I don't have to deal with this. It's my first day of vacation and I don't have to deal with this. I'm sorry Michael. And Jules. I didn't mean to ruin your dinner like this..." Sydney said getting up angrily.   
  
Jules sat in disbelief, shocked at how everything changed in a split second. Vaughn immediately got up and followed Sydney.   
  
"Syd...wait Syd, don't leave," he called after her. Syd didn't turn around, and instead veered toward the bathroom, Vaughn still right on her tail. She entered the bathroom, and all Vaughn heard was a sniffle as the door swung shut. He rubbed his head in frustration.   
  
_Why do I ever listen to Jules?!_ He thought to himself _So what if this place is clean? Sometimes things should just be left alone. Some situations just shouldn't be tampered with, especially when we're okay the way it is..._  
  
Vaughn knocked on the door softly. "Syd? Syd? Can you please come out?" Suddenly the door opened, and another lady walked out and made her way towards the bar. Before the door closed, a hand popped out and grabbed Vaughn's shirt, pulling him into the bathroom with a jerk.   
  
"Syd, what are you doing?! This is the women's bathroom!" Vaughn whispered loudly as Syd locked the door and checked the rest of the stalls.   
  
"I know...theres no one in here." She said, fishing through her purse for the bug killer that she carried with her everywhere she went.   
  
"Oh..." Vaughn said, staring in wonder at the bathroom. This was like every high school boy's dream...he suddenly shook himself out of his daze and turned to Syd as she activated the debugger. "Syd, I'm so--"   
  
"No, Vaughn. What were you _thinking_ inviting us to have dinner with you and your sister? Do you understand how _dangerous_ this is?!" Syd asked, fuming.   
  
"Syd, this place is clean...It's owned by one of my friend's parents...Plus, it wasn't my idea..." Vaughn said, with his head bowed.   
  
_So he didn't really want to have dinner with me..._ Syd thought immediately. _What am I saying? I'm supposed to be mad at him!_   
  
"Vaughn, it doesn't matter if it was your idea or not. What matters is that we're in a whole lot of sh-t right now." Syd said, wiping the tears from her eyes. Vaughn was ready to snap back at her, but stopped himself. He leaned on the counter next to Syd and took a deep breath.   
  
"Syd, we both know that's not what's bothering you. You were fine at first. I can even venture as far as saying that you were having fun. I was having fun too...It was nice to actually have dinner with you and your friends, despite the awkwardness..."   
  
Sydney suddenly found more tears silently spilling from her eyes.   
  
"But I also know how hard and aggravating it is to talk about 'the bank'. And understandibly so." Vaughn said, trying to get to his point. Come to think of it, he didn't exactly know _what_ his point was, he just felt like he had to talk until Syd was willing to talk back.   
  
"I was having fun," Sydney responded wiping her eyes once more.   
  
"Then what happened?" Vaughn asked looking straight into the stall in front of them. "You're usually so good at not letting your emotions get to you...especially about work..."   
  
"That's exactly it Vaughn. Thats _exactly_ it." Syd said getting worked up again, as she started to pace the length of the bathroom.   
  
"What's exactly it?" Vaughn asked, trying to get Sydney to reveal more as he watched her pace.   
  
"The lying. I'm sick of lying. You don't understand how nice it is to have someone like you...or even Will to just talk to without feeling like you're constantly under their watchful eye. I know that Will understands when I have to leave, or when I have missions, but it just gets so incredibly frustrating with Francie. I mean, I love her, she's my best friend...but sometimes I just wish she would stop asking questions _all the time_ and just move on..." Syd stopped and turned to Vaughn with a confused expression on her face, "Am I making any sense whatsoever?"   
  
"Well...did you ever think that maybe she's always asking questions and wanting to talk about work because she's worried about you?"   
  
"Of course I have," Sydney said, settling back next to Vaughn, "I just wish I could tell her and stop all of this..."   
  
"I know, I know..." Vaughn said looking down.   
  
"Vaughn, does your sister know what you do?" Sydney asked, suddenly curious.   
  
Vaughn sighed exasperatedly, "Yes, but against my will of course."   
  
Sydney laughed, "How did she find out?"   
  
"Well, you know how sisters are..."  
  
"Actually I don't..."   
  
Vaughn smiled at Sydney, then turned towards her.   
  
"Well, she pretty much tells me everything. And I tell her everything too. Ever since we were kids...I don't think we've ever kept a secret between us...except for her having a crush on my best friend from high school, which I actually knew about, mind you." Sydney smiled at the thought of a young Jules following Vaughn and his friend around. "So I was pretty discreet during training and everything, but after I became an agent, and actually starting having missions and was told classified information, I guess I wasn't as good of a liar as I was before. Jules sensed it, and called me on it. I promised her I'd never keep anything between us, and I figured my relationship with my only sister is more important than anything else. And I'm glad I made that decision."   
  
Sydney smiled at him. "I completely understand."  
  
"Do you like her?"  
  
"I love her." Sydney responded happily, "but she doesn't seem anything like you."   
  
"Are you kidding? We are like the same people. It's sick!"   
  
Sydney just laughed. It was nice to have some of the tension eased. Now wasn't the time for dramatics...She was there to have fun with her friends, and there was no need to ruin that.   
  
"So..."   
  
"...What are we going to do about Francie?" Vaughn asked, finishing her sentence.   
  
"I guess I'll just have to apologize. She won't hate me, will she?"   
  
"I don't think it's possible for anyone to hate you, Syd." Vaughn said sweetly, giving her a gentle sqeeze. Sydney felt a blush threatening her face, but she held it back, and instead just smiled.   
  
"Believe me, that's not true." She joked.   
  
Vaughn laughed then turned toward the door, and started to unlock it.   
  
"So...You told Francie about me?" He asked raising an eyebrow suspiciously.  
  
"Well...maybe..." Syd responded nervously.   
  
"Huh, interesting..."   
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Syd asked, pretending to be shocked. It was rare when they were able to have a normal moment, and Syd was milking it for all it was worth.   
  
"'Clearly you two are into each other'..." Vaughn said repeating Francie's words.   
  
"Geez! What are we in, the third grade?!" Syd responded quickly as she left the room. Vaughn just smiled to himself.   
  
_Things are going to be very interesting..._ He thought as he walked out of the bathroom, much to the shock of the older women approaching him.   
  
"Did that young man just come out of the ladies bathroom?!" They asked each other.  
  
Sydney laughed as she approached their table once again.   
  
Clearly, Will had cooled Francie down, but Jules still looked like she felt a little out of place.   
  
"Fran, I'm really sorry for everything I said. Please don't hate me, it's just been a really stressful time lately. And it's almost Christmas, and I don't want to spend Christmas Eve with you mad at me, and Christmas wondering if youre still going to be mad at me when you come home. So let's call a truce."   
  
Francie smiled at Syd apologetically. "Syd, it's not your fault. I can't even imagine how hard it must be for you to be going through work and school all at once. It was wrong of me to make any assumptions about your job or you for that matter. You must be an amazing banker, thats all I have to say." Francie joked.   
  
Sydney laughed and hugged Francie, glad that they made up without having to confront anything that isn't meant to be confronted.   
  
"Believe me, she is," Vaughn and Will said at the same time. Jules raised her eyebrows at the clash of testosterone exibited before her. Vaughn just laughed it off, but Will seemed a bit annoyed.   
  
In the whole 15 minutes Jules had known Will, she decided he was a good guy. Clearly, he had a pretty bad crush on Sydney, but from the way it seemed, he was starting to move on. From what Vaughn had told her, he had been through a lot. Quite a sad story, but he was surely lucky to be alive. And there was no doubt about the fact that he was cute...kinda scruffy, blonde, tall, abnomally white teeth. What more could a girl ask for? Cute, indeed, but she did only know him for 15 minutes...  
  
"So, Jules, you're in pediatrics? My sister is thinking about medicine, actually. You should probably chat with her sometime." Will said, taking a bite of his food.   
  
"Oh yeah, definately. I'd love to. I have some great med school stories...mostly not so great, but I do have a few good ones here and there." Jules replied with a smile.   
  
"Ugh, I could never handle being a doctor...blood is something I just can't handle."   
  
"Haha, that's what I thought at first too, but after awhile, you really get used to it. And I think with kids, you really are able to appreciate the whole "being a doctor" thing a lot more. But then again, I _am_ biased..."   
  
"Aw, I love kids...I can't wait to get married and settle down..." Francie said dreamily.   
  
"Yeah, that's usually what's so great about Christmas with my Mom...She has all our relatives over, and all their kids. Nothing puts anyone in a better mood than kids on Christmas morning." Jules added, her mood brightened considerably.  
  
"Yeah, definately...skating with the kids is definately a Christmas highlight for me..." Vaughn added.   
  
"That must be a lot of fun...are you guys doing it this year?" Sydney asked curiously, wanting to find out what plans Vaughn and his sister had for Christmas.   
  
"Sadly, no," Jules said, putting her napkin aside.   
  
"She sounds like she has to spend Christmas with the Grinch or something..." Vaughn said, acting hurt.   
  
"Says the man who has no Christmas tree,"   
  
"I live alone! Do you know how incredibly depressing it is to decorate a tree alone?"   
  
"Such a bad excuse...decorating a tree is never depressing. Even if you are alone. Although, knowing you, you'd probably decorating it while listening to all your Christmas CDs, so yeah, that would be pretty pathetic."   
  
"Hey! Don't go knockin' the Christmas music!" Vaughn retorted playfully.   
  
"Yeah, I definately have to agree with Micheal on this one," Francie added.   
  
"Me too," Syd added, genuinely having a good time.   
  
"Me three," Will said, smiling at Jules.   
  
"Hey, don't get me wrong...Bono singing "Baby Please Come Home" while decorating a Christmas tree is my idea of fun...but there's no denying the fact that Mikey, the same Mikey who came home every Christmas during college with a new girl, sitting alone decorating a tree all by himself, is just a little sad, dontcha think?"   
  
"Ah yes, enough of that..." Vaughn said quickly trying to change the subject.   
  
"Why? We really would love to hear of your escapades during college..." Syd quipped.   
  
"Trust me, you would. But he's right, now's not the time. I'd need days...maybe even weeks for that. But you'd definately get a kick out of it." Jules joked.   
  
"I'm sure," Sydney responded, grinning at a now embarassed Vaughn.   
  
"Okay, time to change the subject..." Vaughn said desperately.  
  
"I've got your back, man," Will said, nodding his head at Vaughn, "So, Jules, why are you gonna be staying with Mike here instead of your family?"   
  
"Well, our Mom went back to France to spend the holidays with some family that she hasn't seen in years...We were going to join her, but there were some work restraints for the both of us. So we'll stay here, but I'm sure Mom will call us to rub in the fact that she's there, and we're here..." Jules said, laughing at the thought.   
  
"Oh, you guys are French?" Francie asked, her interest piqued.   
  
"You never mentioned that your mother was French, Michael," Sydney added.   
  
"Well, you never asked," Vaughn replied playfully. "Plus, didn't you ever wonder why my French was so good?"   
  
Sydney laughed. When she came to think of it, his French accent was excellent. Better than most French-speakers she heard.   
  
"So, you guys grew up in France?" Will asked, turning once again to Jules.   
  
"Well...yeah, I grew up there until I was about twelve..." Jules added, her tone suddenly taking a sad turn.   
  
"Were you both born over there?" Francie asked.   
  
"Well, we were both born there, but our Dad actually worked for the US government. So shortly after I was born, we came here and lived around DC until I was about eight. Then, when our father passed away, we moved back to France, and stayed with my Mother's family until I was 16. My Grandparents then convinced my Mom to move back to America, but this time to California." Vaughn said, explaining his family's travels.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry about your Father," Francie said apologetically, "it must have been a hard time."   
  
"Yeah, it was," Jules added, "especially since I was only four...I barely remember my Father, but Mike was amazing." Vaughn shook it off like it was nothing.   
  
"Our Father was an incredible man. He did so much for this country, and I really am still proud of him," Vaughn said, turning to Sydney, who was herself on the verge of tears. She held them back, knowing that it would be suspicious, especially to Francie, and instead offered her belated condolences.   
  
"I'm sure he really was, Michael." She said, fighting the tears. "I'm sure he'd be proud of you both, if he were with us today."   
  
"Thanks, Syd," Vaughn said, smiling sadly.   
  
"Enough with all this depressing talk," Jules said, trying to cheer up.   
  
"What plans do you guys have for Christmas?" She asked.   
  
"Well, tomorrow we're actually having our annual Christmas Eve dinner at our place," Francie said, excitedly, "with us, Will's sister, Amy, and a couple other people."   
  
"Oh, that sounds like fun!" Jules replied.   
  
"Yeah, it will be...Hey, do you guys want to join us tomorrow?" Will asked, directing the question to Jules, "That is of course, if you guys don't already have plans..."   
  
Jules smiled at Will's sweet offer. "You know, that would really be great, but I have to tag along with Mikey to this dinner that one of his friends is hosting. He'd kill me if we didn't go."   
  
"As much as we'd like to," Vaughn said cutting in, "like Jules said, some old friends from college and some of my collegues are going to be meeting up. I guess you could say its annual for us too, but yeah, I've kind of already promised them we'd be there."   
  
"Oh, that's alright," Will responded, "we understand."   
  
"What about Christmas? What are you guys doing on the big day?" Jules asked, turning back to Sydney.   
  
"Well, I'm actually gonna be visiting some family," Francie said, "not too far from here."   
  
"Same here," Will added, "My family's down in San Diego, and I promised I'd see them. Especially seeing that I'm so close, and all."   
  
"What about you, Sydney?" Jules asked, curiously.   
  
"Oh, I'm just gonna be spending some time at home." Sydney responded. "No big deal."  
  
"You're gonna be alone on Christmas?!" Jules asked incredulously. Vaughn raised his eyebrows at Syd, pretending like it was news to him, even though he found out earlier in the day.   
  
"Oh yeah, I really don't mind. It would be nice to have some alone time."   
  
"But on _Christmas_?!" Vaughn asked. Sydney shot a look at him, and he just smiled at her.   
  
"No, Sydney, I'm not standing for this," Jules said as if she was suddenly inspired, "you're gonna spend Christmas Day with me and Mikey! It's just gonna be the two of us at his place watching sappy Christmas movies and listening to good Christmas music...it's fun, but it'll be a lot more fun if you'll be there too."  
  
"Oh, I'm not so sure..." Syd said suddenly nervous. Francie kicked her under the table, prompting her to give Francie a 'What the Hell?!' look. Francie discreetly mouthed 'Go' to her best friend.  
  
"Yeah, I'm not so sure, Jules..." Vaughn responded.   
  
"Nah, it'll be great! Really, you have to come!"   
  
"Um..." Sydney responded, getting another kick from Francie, "Okay! Okay! I'll be there..." Sydney said rubbing her now sore leg.   
  
"Awesome. You'll have an excellent time, I guarantee it!" Jules said ecstatically.   
  
"Yeah, it'll be great." Vaughn said smiling genuinely. At first he thought this couldn't be anything but trouble, but the fact of the matter was that this Christmas Day date with him, Sydney and Jules had much potential.   
  
"Are you sure?" Syd asked uneasily, knowing that this also had the potential to be a very dangerous encounter.   
  
"Yeah," Jules piped in, "for sure."   
  
"I'll call you on Wednesday morning and we'll arrange it all." Vaughn said simply, putting Syd's fears to rest. Atleast somewhat to rest.   
  
"Okay, I...guess so..."   
  
Francie looked excited for Syd while Will looked pretty neutral. Something had changed with him, but he wasn't quite sure what. Despite the uneasy look on Syd's face (which he knew the cause of) she looked genuinely happy. And anxious in that "first date" kind of way. And Will actually liked it. He liked seeing his friend actually get to live her life, instead of having to lie and hide everything to everyone.   
  
_She won't be alone...She'll actually be with two pretty cool people, one of which I know will keep her safe. And someone who she really cares about...This is only good for her. And that's what you want for her. It really is._ Will reaffirmed to himself.   
  
"Then it's set!" Jules finalized, writing her cell phone number down on a napkin and handing it to Syd. "Here's my cell number...you know, just in case."   
  
"Okay," Syd said, taking it from her, "Sounds great."   
  
"Oh Syd! It's almost 10!" Francie exclaimed, looking down at her watch. "We have to head out and get some last minute stuff for our dinner tomorrow."   
  
Francie, Will and Syd all got up, prompting Vaughn and Jules to also get up.   
  
"Well, it was nice to finally meet 'Michael from work'," Francie said shaking Vaughn's hand politely, then hugging Jules "and also you, Jules."   
  
"Yeah, definately," Will said smiling warmly at Jules, as he hugged her, then shook Vaughn's hand.  
  
"Yeah, well it was nice meeting you guys too!" Jules responded. "We'll definately have to do this again before I leave town."   
  
"Yeah, definately." Sydney responded hugging Jules warmly, then Vaughn, "and I'll see you guys on Christmas."   
  
"You better." Vaughn joked as Syd pulled away.   
  
"Yeah, Mikey's never been stood up in his life, we wouldn't like to change that now," Jules teased.   
  
Sydney smiled graciously at the two of them before her and her friends made their way out.   
  
"See you guys later," Jules called out as they left.   
  
"Yeah," Vaughn said quietly.   
  
Jules just smiled, knowing that her brother's life was going to change in about a day and a half. She nudged him and pulled her dazed brother back down to the table.   
  
**END CHAPTER FOUR**  



	5. Late Night Rendezvous

****

bChapter Five - Late Night Rendezvous/b  
  
Christmas Eve had been a long day for Vaughn. In all honesty, he was still skeptical that Monday night's dinner ever took place. It was all too surreal. That kind of stuff didn't just happen between the two of them. Thier relationship basically consisted of this unspoken love that existed but was never acknowledged openly, let alone consummated.   
  
I_Whoa there, Mike. Who says you're gonna be consummating anything with Sydney? Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren't ya?/I_  
  
Vaughn sat on his couch, unable to fall asleep. The excitement of Christmas Day always kept him up late, even as an adult. There's always that underlying Christmas buzz, but this year, he was pretty sure that Christmas buzz was Sydney Bristow.   
  
Just as Vaughn found his thoughts wandering to a certain double agent, he heard his cell phone ring. Frantically, he reached over to the coffee table where his cell was lying next to his beeper and gun holster. He knew it was either Sydney or Weiss -- the only two people who had that number other than his sister, who of course had it in case of emergencies.   
  
"Vaughn," he whispered into his phone, not wanting to bother Jules, who was just across the wall in his room.   
  
"Hey..." he heard a soft voice respond on the other end.   
  
A smile slowly spread across his face as he let his head fall back down on his pillow comfortably. He knew Syd could be in trouble or needed to talk, but something in her voice told him otherwise. It was just...different.   
  
"Hey, Syd, what's up?"   
  
~~~  
  
Syd twisted and turned in her bed, unable to find a comfortable position to fall asleep in. Finally, she decided to lay on her back and just think. As she stared at the cieling, she realized what was really keeping her up: Vaughn.   
  
She had to deal with a lot from Francie since they met Vaughn and his sister Monday night when Jules invited her to stay with them for Christmas. She had to admit it: she _was_ nervous.   
  
I_No, I'm pretty sure this is beyond simply "nervousness." This is all out sweaty palms, teenage schoolgirl, first date anxiety -- and it's a whole night before I'm even going over there...What is going on with me?!/I_  
  
Sydney _was_ getting pretty annoyed, especially Francie's constant remarks about how "cute Michael is" and how "sweet Michael is" which weren't helping her situation at all. Syd was a full grown woman in more control of her emotions than most and she still didn't understand why all her previous experiences with guys were thrown out the window when it came to Vaughn.   
  
Up was down and left was right. Hell must have really frozen over and the pigs were flying south for the winter if Sydney Bristow was spending Christmas Day with Michael Vaughn.   
  
I_These kinds of things just don't happen with us, and I've come to accept it! All this is going to leave me with is a false sense of hope that maybe, just maybe, we can be together. Despite protocol, despite the dangers, and despite the consequences.../I_  
  
Syd tried to shake herself out of it.   
  
I_If I get to spend one day in Michael Vaughn's life, I better take advantage of it, because it will probably never happen again.../I_  
  
Sydney found herself down once again with the thought of never getting to spend another day in Vaughn's real life.   
  
I_Why does everything always come back to that? Why can't I just forget it all..?/I_  
  
Suddenly, Syd's cells was in her hand and she found herself calling the one person that always seemed to balance all the imbalances within her...  
  
"Vaughn."   
  
"Hey..." Syd said softly, not sure what she was going to say to not appear too overanxious or maybe even perhaps smitten.  
  
"Hey, Syd, what's up?" Vaughn whispered with a hint of concern in his voice.   
  
"Oh nothing reall--I didn't wake you up, did I?" Syd asked, suddenly aware of the fact that it was 2 AM.   
  
"No, no...I actually haven't been able to fall asleep. I guess that pre-Christmas excitment stays with you, no matter what age you are."   
  
"Yeah," Syd responded smiling to herself, wondering if perhaps she was the cause of his 'pre-Christmas excitment' just like he was hers. "I know what you mean...Sorry I'm whispering, I just don't want to wake up Francie..."   
  
"No problem, I don't want to wake up Jules either..."   
  
"Oh, I'm sorry Vaughn, I can actually call you in the morning..." Syd said, quickly cutting him off hoping that she might be able to bail out last minute.  
  
"No, Syd, it's really fine. She's in the next room. Now, really, what's up?"  
  
"Well," Syd started slowly trying to collect her thoughts, "Vaughn, I was wondering if you really think tomorrow is a good idea..."   
  
"Of course it is," Vaughn immediately responded, prompting Syd to smile, "NO one should spend Christmas alone, Syd, especially you. It's just not right..."   
  
"No, Vaughn, don't get me wrong -- I'm really looking forward to it, but how _safe_ do you think this really is...?"  
  
Syd listened intently as Vaughn took a deep breath and sighed heavily.   
  
"Syd, I understand why youre concerned but it really shouldn't be a problem. If you're really worried, here's what you should do. Have Will drop you off at the park by Freemont Avenue before he drives down to San Diego. When you're in the car, call Jules's cell. She'll meet you down there, because it's like two blocks from my place. She'll be walking Donovan when she run's into you. You guys will talk -- act like you're old childhood friends and what not, then Jules will invite you to spend Christmas at 'her place' for the day. So that way, you can avoid tails with Will, aren't dropped off directly at my place, and also have a cover. It seems pretty fool-proof to me."   
  
Syd couldn't help but let out a muffled laugh.   
  
"What?" Vaughn asked. Syd could tell he was smiling on the other end.   
  
"Oh, nothing -- it's just that clearly you've been thinking about this a lot..." Syd said turning on her side.   
  
"Well, maybe I have, " Vaughn responded, now amused, "but clearly, you too had been thinking a lot about it, if it made you call me at 2 AM."   
  
"Touche. You really got me there, _Mikey_." Syd shot back with a huge grin on her face.   
  
I_I only get a day to be with the]real_ Michael Vaughn...No countermissions, no SD-6, no Sloane, no Devlin...So I might as well extend it by a little. How would that hurt? Plus, by the tone in his voice, he seems to be enjoying it too./I She only wished she could see him blush as she called him by his nickname.   
  
"Oh man, you do know, Syd, that only three people on God's green Earth are allowed to call me that: Jules, Joe from High School, and Luke from College. That's I_it/I_."  
  
Syd sat up in bed, happy that Vaughn was going along with the conversation, instead of being all buisness. "Aw, so I'm not allowed to call you 'Mikey'?"  
  
"See, I never said that!" Vaughn whispered laughing, "of course _you_ can call me 'Mikey'..."  
  
"So then it's settled!"  
  
"--But I kind of liked the way 'Michael' sounded coming from you..." Vaughn finished shyly.  
  
She sighed happily as she heard Vaughn shift in bed. "You know what?" She asked.   
  
"What?"   
  
"I do too, Michael, I do too."   
  
Vaughn was silent on the other end, and for a moment all Syd could hear was him breathing.   
  
"I'm glad," Vaughn -- or Michael now -- responded in a content tone.   
  
"Well I_Michael/I_..." Syd said, unable to wipe the goffy grin from her face, "I should probably get to bed..."   
  
"Oh yeah, definately,"   
  
"And leave a message on Will's machine to let him now I'll need a ride..."   
  
"Yeah...So I'll see you tomorrow morning?"   
  
"Of course," Syd responded, still smiling.   
  
"Goodnight, Syd," Vaughn barely whispered.   
  
"Goodnight, Michael," Syd said as she clicked her cell phone off. Her eyes slowly drooped as she placed her cell on her nightstand and drifted off into sleep.  
  
~~~  
  
Vaughn sighed as he clicked the "End" button on his cell phone. Things certainly were different between him and Sydney, but he didn't know exactly what sparked it. All he knew was that he was happy. For once in the last year plus, he wasn't worried, he wasn't scared, he wasn't depressed...he was genuinely happy.   
  
I_I may only get this one day...but atleast I'm getting it to begin with._ /IVaughn thought as his anxiety and excitment for the next day subsided momentarily and he faded into sleep, knowing exactly what (or who rather) would be waiting for him in his dreams.   
  
b**END CHAPTER FIVE/b**  



	6. Baby Please Come Home

bChapter Six - Baby Please Come Home/b

IIf there was a way,

I'd hold back each tear,

But its Christmas day,

Baby please come home.

"Baby Please Come Home" [U2 version]/I

"Are you sure it's safe to spend the day with Vaughn?" Will asked concerned.

"Will, to tell you the truth, I really don't know." Syd said as she put her totebag in the back seat. "He told me what to do and it seemed pretty safe. But, you know what? At this point, I don't care. I'm sick of having everyone but myself control my life. I know I can't have this mentality on the job, but I'm on vacation for goodness sake." 

Will sat in silence, taking in what Sydney said. 

"But Syd..." 

"Will, you really don't need to worry. I know how to avoid these people and get myself out of trouble...which I won't be in, by the way."

Will shook his head and sighed as he started the car. 

"So, what's your plan?" 

Syd smiled, happy that Will wasn't going to put up a fight. "Okay, here's what you're gonna do: drop me off at the park, right across from Freedmont. I'm gonna call Jules's cell and let her know I'm on my way and she's gonna 'accidently' bump into me. And seeing that we're 'old childhood friends' she'll invite me to spend Christmas Day with her." 

Will chucked and shook his head. 

"What?" Syd asked grinning, fully aware of what that chuckle was about. 

"Nothing," Will said quickly. Sydney eyed him, knowing he was trying to hide something from her. 

"Uh-huh -- Sure," she said with a smile as she dialed Jules's number. Syd folded the sheet up as the phone started ringing. 

"Hey, Jules, it's me," Syd said brightly as she discreetly slipped the phone number under Will's hand on the steering wheel, much to his suprise. 

"Whaa--?!" He responded shocked, taking his eyes off the road and fixing them on the paper in his hand. 

"Nah, don't get him up," Syd said nonchalantly pushing Will's face back toward the road. 

IHe was up late last night...He needs his sleep./I

"Yeah, sounds great. I'll see you then. Bye." She said, hanging up her phone and putting it in her pocket. 

"Syd, there's absolutely no way I'm gonna call her Iout of the blue/I and ask her out. How long have I known her? One 45 minute dinner...That's it. I don't think so. Plus, she's going back east in two weeks...There's no way Ishe/I would want to go out with Ime/I anyway. Especially after she finds out what Ihappened/I..."

"First of all, of course she'd go out with you. She's a sweet girl and clearly she's into you. Second of all, she knows. Apparently Vaughn told her that he's in the CIA. And if she doesn't know about you in particular, who cares? If she doesn't want you, clearly you're too good for her. Which isn't the case, because she [i]does[/i] want you. And last but not least, that was for you to keep if you needed to reach me since I'm going to be leaving my cell off for the next day or two." 

Will immediately turned beet red. He leaned back and sighed heavily. 

"Oh God..." 

Sydney just smiled at her best friend who had clearly given in to his former pre-pubescent jitters.

"Don't worry about it," Syd said leaning back, "I'll put a good word in for you." 

"Syd, you better not breathe a word of this to--"

"I won't." Syd responded quickly, knowing very well that there was no chance in hell that she'd pass up this opportunity to sey Will up. 

"I know that face," Will said pointing at Syd, shaking his finger in her face. Suddenly he put his arm down with a defeated sigh. "But theres no use in fighting it, because we all know I never win." 

"There's no use in fighting because you know you want it." Syd retorted. 

Will just looked straight ahead at the road as his smile grew. 

~~~

IVaughn's Apartment/I

Jules walked out of her brother's room with her wet hair held by a clip. She looked around and after realizing her brother was still asleep, she quietly made her way to the kitchen. She started to open the fridge, but stopped when she noticed a note on it with her name in big letters. She opened it quickly, curious about what her brother had to tell her.

IJules--

Syd is going to call your cell in the morning. When she does, you'll have to go take Donovan out for his morning walk in the park. You'll "accidentally" run into each other. Act like you guys are old friends (Finally, a chance for you to show off those "mad acting skills" as you like to say). After "catching up" invite her to spend Christmas at you're place. I'm sure you know why this all has to be done so just make sure you DON'T throw this away. Slide it in my briefcase and I'll deal with it once I get up.

Love, 

Mike/I

Just as Jules read the last line, her cell started ringing. Jules looked up at it quickly, somewhat frightened. 

IDamn, that girl's got good timing/I She thought as she ran towards Michael's room. 

"Hello?" Jules said, answering the phone. It was of course Sydney. 

"Oh, hey..." Jules responded, not sure if she could say her name. IYou never know who's listening...but then again, what double agent wouldn't have phone with a clean line?/I Jules decided to play it safe, just in case. Even though, if someone was listening in, they would definately recognize Syd's voice...IBah, I'm just confusing myself.../I

"I'll be down with Donnie in a few. Should I wake Mike up? He's still asleep..." 

Syd didn't want to wake him, and Jules agreed. He worked too hard, and it was rare when he overslept. It would be good for him to get some extra sleep for once, instead of losing it. "Yeah, I didn't want to either. So, I'll be down at the park in ten minutes. See ya!"

Jules turned off her phone and placed it on the counter before she reached for her jacket. She walked out into the hall, grabbing Donovan's leash and hooking it to his collar. Quickly, she scribbled a note to her brother, leaving it on the counter. 

"Come on, Donnie, we've got some work to do..." 

~~~

Syd sat on the park bench, uDante's Inferno/u in hand. It was a gorgeous day, but a little chilly, at 65 degrees. Syd was enjoying the serene park, empty due to the holiday, when suddenly she heard a familiar voice calling after a barking dog. 

"Whoa, Donnie! Wait up!" Syd looked up from her book to see who she presumed was Donovan, panting in front of her. She put her book aside and leaned down to pet the dog, when he suddenly started to lick her face furiously. Syd couldn't help but break out into a fit of laughter. It had been so long since she'd been around a dog that wasn't a guard dog, hunting her down. 

"Donnie! Stop that right this instant!" Jules demanded, out of breath from chasing him down the street. She pulled his collar away and started apologizing, a mile a minute. "I'm so sorry about this, Donnie is usually such a good dog when it comes to strangers and I--" Jules stopped midsentencee, a nd it all suddenly came flying out like she was born to do this. "Sydney? Sydney Bristow?!"

"Juliana?!?"

~~~

Michael turned on his side, yawning lethargically. He reached over to his watch to see what time it was. The watch read 10:30. 

"Sh-t." Michael breathed as he got up quickly. 

"Jules!" He called, walking toward the open door to his room. 

"Jules!" He called once more before he discovered a note on the counter. 

IMike--

Went to walk Donnie at 10:15. Didn't want to wake you, I'll be back soon. 

Love, 

Jules

PS: I left what you were asking for in your bag./I

"Crap." Michael said to himself.

IMy whole life is going to change today. Sydney Bristow is spending Christmas with me. SYDNEY BRISTOW. And she decides to let me sleep. What a wonderful sister I have./I Michael thought sarcastically. IJules is probably just "running into" Syd which gives me hardly any time to get changed and atleast resemble a human being./I

Michael didn't bother to check his bag because he knew Jules had put his earlier note in there. She was good with that kind of stuff. Sometimes he thought she would make an amazing agent. But he quickly shook those kind of ideas away, knowing full well that he didn't want to expose his sister to the dangerous life of espionage. 

Michael made his way to his room and pulled out a pair of jeans and a red t-shirt then made his way to the bathroom. 

~~~

"So, what are you doing back in LA, Jules?" 

"Well, actually, I came to visit my brother, Mike...We were going to spend the holidays together since our Mom's out of the country..."

"Oh, that'll be really fun!"

"Yeah, it will," Jules said, wrapping Donovans leash around her hand. "Hey, you know what??" She exclaimed as if she was suddenly inspired. "Since no one's around for yuou to really spend Christmas with, why don't you come back with me. We could catch up on old times! Whaddya say?"

"Oh Jules, I couldn't possibly ask that of you. I don't want to intrude on you and your brother's holiday. I definately wouldn't want to be a burden..."

"It's really no burden! Come on! It'll be SO much fun!" 

"Well..."

"That's a 'yes'! Come on!" Jules said, pulling Sydney's arm as they walked back towards the apartment. 

~~~

Michael pulled his red t-shirt over his head before rubbing his wet hair with a towel. He opened the bathroom door slightly, to let the steam from his shower out, and make the air a bit less stuffy. 

ISyd and Jules should be here any minute now.../I He thought to himself as he studied his reflection in the mirror. He rubbed his chin, bothered by his growing stubble. 

IIf I don't do it myself, Jules will force me to, and that won't be pretty. Especially with Syd here./I

Michael pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it to the side. 

IBetter make this quick.../I He quickly lathered up and began shaving.

~~~

"I'm so sorry about Donnie!" Jules apologized as she opened the door to the apartment and invited Syd in. 

Syd laughed. "It's really no big deal. I love dogs!" Syd walked in and the realization suddenly hit her. She was standing in Michael Vaughn's apartment. His [i]apartment[/i]. This wasn't happening. 

She looked over at the couch that had clearly been slept in the night before. She chucked as she remembered her conversation with Michael the night before. His place was nice. Not as big as her and Francie's apartment, but it didn't need to be. It was perfect. It was definately him. From the couches, to the bookshelves, to the curtains, to the stereo system and rack of CDs...not to mention all the hockey stick and baseball bat in the corner. This was definately all Vaughn -- ehrmm -- Michael. 

"Now Mike's a sweetie, but a horrible slob when he's in a rush. He's probably in his room getting ready," Jules said looking up at the closed door across the room. Syd followed her gaze, bewildered. 

IMichael's room. Michael's. Room. 

Breathe. 

Breathe. 

Breathe./I

This Idefinitely/I wasn't happening. 

"But yeah, the bathroom's right there," Jules said motioning to a door opened slightly, "You can go wash all that doggie slobber off." 

"Yeah, I really should do that, shouldn't I?" Sydney responded laughing. She had to stay normal. She couldn't let the utter abnormality of the situation ruin her day. Of course, at this point, Inothing/I could ruin her day. 

Jules smiled sweetly as she watched Syd approach the bathroom, then turned back to tidy up the living room. 

~~~

Michael was running his razor under the water when suddenly he heard a door close. He cut off the water immediately, fearful for a moment. He relaxed when he heard his sister's voice. Suddenly, Sydney's laughter seemed to fill the room. He stopped for a moment, paralyzed in fear. 

This wasn't happening. 

This Iwasn't/I happening. 

Realizing that he better get out there, Michael started to furiously finish shaving. He wasn't paying attention with the conversation Syd and his sister were having across the wall because he was too preoccupied with the fact that Sydney Bristow was Iin his apartment/I and he was stuck in the bathroom shaving. 

IGeez, Mike, calm yourself down! You've seen her a million times before. What makes this time any different? Now slow down before you're face looks like it's been mauled by angry bears./I

Michael took a deep breathe. When it came down to it, he was completely right. This time shouldn't be any different from any other time he's been with her. He just had to relax. No matter what…relax. 

He was lost in thought as the door opened and a shocked gasp escaped from a girl, sounding very similar to Sydney's lips. Michael turned, slightly dazed and confused, and made eye contact with Syd, who's eyes were practically bulging out of her face. She was clearly in shock. Michael smiled. 

"Hey, Syd..." he started, somewhat embarassed at their 'predicament'. 

"Oh God, I'm so sorry..." She said quickly shielding her eyes and turning to walk away. Suddenly Jules appeared behind Sydney, giving her a slight nudge into the bathroom. Vaughn had already turned back toward the mirror with a smile on his face. This wasn't how he expected his day with Sydney to start off, but he didn't mind. There are definately times when a guy needs to be reminded that he's still got it. 

IAnd, man,/I Vaughn thought, looking back to Sydney's bright red face before shaving the last bit of cream off his face, II've still got it./I

It took all the power she had to hold back the hysterics. She knew exactly what her egotistical brother was thinking. It really was shocking how such a sweet, caring and compassionate guy could have such an incredibly huge ego. 

IBut then again, he IS a guy.../I She thought with a smile. 

"Mikey, sorry to barge in on you like this, but Donnie got all of his nasty doggie drool all over Syd's face. Could she wash up real quick and then you can finish?"

"Oh yeah, of course," he said immediately, rinsing his face real quick, "I'm actually done..." He hastily dried his face and put some aftershave on, then turned to pick up his shirt. 

Syd couldn't help but peak up. He looked good. IReally/I good. 

iSince when do I of all people, get overrun by raging hormones? Play it cool, Syd, play it cool!/i

"Go ahead, Syd, its all yours," Michael said, as he pulled his shirt over his head and walked out of the bathroom with a sneaky smile on his face. Syd walked in as Jules shut the door behind her. Jules then proceeded to smack Michael in the head. 

"What?!" He asked incredulously. 

Jules couldn't help but laugh. Michael just shook his head, the smile on his face growing all the while. 

"Hey, I didn't plan that..." He started. 

"All I have to say is if there was any doubt in your mind whether she wants you or not, that should all be cleared up," Jules said as she walked coffee table, picked up Mike's stuff and handed it to him. "All I ask is that you make sure I'm not present when you do anything...Uhhhhh" Jules said, shuddering. Vaughn rolled his eyes, and smacked her back. 

bEND CHAPTER SIX/b


	7. It's Christmas Day

bChapter Seven - It's Christmas Day/b

Sydney walked out of the bathroom, slightly embarassed at what took place only moments before, but it seemed as though Michael and Jules had both moved on. 

IThank God. I was just suprised, that's all...suprised.../I 

Syd looked over to the kitchen where Jules was apparently cooking some late breakfast, and Michael was on the couch relaxing. She made her way there and plopped down beside him. 

"What a way to break the ice, huh?" He asked, turning to her with a huge grin on his face. 

"Hey! You can just wipe that smug look off your face," Syd responded, laughing. 

"What? I have no clue what you're talking about," Michael said turning back to the movies and other things scattered on the coffee table. 

"I know that look all too well," Syd started, leaning back on the couch, "that look guys get when their ego has been given some sort of boost. Well, let me just tell you right now, don't flatter yourself. I was just suprised. I wasn't expecting anyone to be in there, let alone Iyou/I half-naked..." 

Michael looked back, raising an eyebrow at her. Syd hit his arm playfully, as she rolled her eyes. 

"I don't think I'll ever understand why guys are the way they are...But you know what? I think I'd rather not." 

"Yeah, you're probably right," Michael joked, putting his arms on the back of the couch. Sydney looked up at him, still not believing that she was where she was. 

II've known this man for over a year. Over a year, and I'm still afraid of touching him. Of looking at him...Of feeling the way I do about him.../I Sydney thought, and suddenly made up her mind. She wasn't going to let fear overtake her today. Today they were just Sydney and Michael. No CIA, no SD-6, no lies, no fear...It was just them (and Jules of course) and if they only got to spend this one day together, she didn't want to have any regrets. IClearly we feel the same way about each other, let's just skip all of these "First Date Anxieties" and move on. We've been through more than anyone could possibly imagine, and there really is no need for us to feel uncomfortable around each other at all./I

Sydney leaned her head on Michael's shoulder, nervously. Someone had to make the first step, and if she did, he would surely follow. Atleast that's what she hoped. Michael tensed up at first, unsure. 

IShe's opening herself up to you. She's letting you in. She's opened the door, now it's your turn to walk through it./I He told himself. 

Michael quickly eased up, and wrapped his arm around Sydney's shoulder. He could have sworn he heard her breathe a sigh of relief, and she moved in a little bit closer to him. They may have known each other for what has seemed like forever, and been through so much together, but they still had to take little steps. He knew he wasn't ready to make any huge jumps in their relationship, and he was pretty sure she wasn't either. As much as they both wanted it, it did take time to adjust. 

II am sitting on my couch, with Sydney Bristow at my side, with my arm around her, and her not in tears. How did this happen again?/I

Syd took a deep breath, then tilted her head up to face Michael. 

"Merry Christmas," she said, smiling. 

"Merry Christmas." He responded also grinning. 

"Never in a million years would I expect to be doing this right now. Never."

"Yeah, I know," Michael said softly. 

"With your sister for that matter," Syd added. Michael rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I know," he quipped sarcastically. 

Syd turned her head, burying her face into Michael's shoulder. He could tell she was smiling because he could feel her features through his t-shirt. 

IClearly, she has exactly what I have in mind.../I

"This is all so strange though..." Syd thought aloud as she sat up, folding her legs beneath her and faced Michael. 

"How so?" Michael asked. "I mean excluding the whole act to get you here, our little episode in the bathroom, and the most odd of all, that I'm actually sitting here on my couch with you." 

Sydney laughed, and looked up at him. "Well, yeah, all of that...But what's really wierd for me is to actually be able to talk to you, like really talk to you. About stuff that you'd normally Inever/I talk to me about..." 

"Oh, so who says we're going to be talking about stuff I never usually talk about?" 

"I do, alright?" Syd said laughing. "Like your childhood in France, High School...College. From what I hear, you were quite a wild one in college, huh?" Syd asked winking her eye, causing Michael to blush. 

"Perhaps..." 

"Yeah, sure. Something tells me that tatoo you're sporting is a permament scar left from your college days." Syd said, glaring at Michael's shoulder. 

"Oh, don't even get me started on that." Michael said shaking his head. "First of all, it was painful as all Hell. Second of all, I got such a verbal thrashing, from my mother...and sister for that matter. About how 'if God wanted us to have ugly, colorful markings mar our bodies, we would be born with them.' And how they would never understand how 'stupid 20 year olds decide to go get a needle jammed into them so they can have a pretty picture on their arm.' And not to mention how 'any girlfriend who makes you get a tatoo is clearly a whore.' That one was compliments of Jules." 

"Did you do it for a girl?" Syd asked, clearly amused by the story. 

"Of course I did. I wasn't stupid enough to do that on my own free will." 

Sydney just laughed. "Clearly, you were pretty stupid." 

"Hey! Atleast I wasn't stupid enough to put her name on there," Michael added confidently. 

"Let me see it!" Syd exclaimed excitedly. 

"Oh man..." 

"Come on!" Syd said, reaching for his sleeve. Michael just turned his head as he covered his face with his hands. Syd lifted up his sleeve to see the intricate design that was forever printed on his skin. She ran her fingers over the design, as a bolt of electricity seemed to go through her. She felt Michael jump slightly at her touch, and she smiled at him. "Sorry my hands are cold." 

He shook his head. "No, they aren't." 

Syd looked down, and pulled his sleeve back over his shoulder. 

"Why didn't your mom make you get it removed?" 

"Well, once I showed her what they do to remove them, she didn't want me to go through it. And I was pretty glad. I actually liked it...and still do for that matter." 

"Well, it Iis/I a pretty design..." 

"Oh great. That's the last thing you're supposed to say to a guy about their tatoo...It's 'pretty.' It's not 'manly', it's not 'sexy'...it's pretty." Vaughn joked. 

"See, that's where you're wrong. Something can be pretty and sexy at the same time..." Syd said taking Michael's hand in hers, and tracing the lines on his with her fingers, then looked up at Michael. 

"Yeah, I know," Michael said as he lifted his hand up to her face, placing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Sydney was sure he was about to lean in when suddenly Jules called out, bringing them both out of their reverie. 

"Hey, you guys, time to eat!" 

They both got up quickly and made their way to the Kitchen. 

~~~

"Are you Ikidding/I?!" Syd asked, almost spitting out her drink. 

"No!" Jules exclaimed. "He literally showed up at my Ifirst date/I, while I was in the bathroom, mind you. He sat down at our table...I'm pretty sure Pete must have crapped his pants. I mean, he was a freshman in high school, on his first date...he was nervous as it was. Then suddenly Mikey here shows up, a freshman in Icollege/I for godssake, and sits down and tells him that he will, and I quote, 'hunt him down and kill him if he did anything to his sister.'"

Syd could swear her face was turning red from laughing so hard. "Michael, the girl was on her first date! What did you really think this 15 year old would do?!" 

"See, you don't understand...It was her first date! Her Ifirst date/I! I had to make sure that whoever was going to go out with my sister would know that they would have to deal with me too. That way, I wouldn't have to deal with seeing her come home in hysterics about how some boy broke her heart." 

"Oh how noble of you," Jules said sarcastically then turned to Syd, "instead I came home in hysterics over how every boy in the freaking school was too scared to go out with me because 'my brother scared the sh-t out of them." 

"Hey, I was just doing my big brother duties. If you were a big brother, you would understand." 

Syd just smiled. This was exactly how she imagined Michael to be with his sister. Exactly. 

"Do you still make Jules go through this torture now?" Syd asked, grinning as she took a sip of water. 

"Of course I don't," Michael said immediately, making Jules let out a 'ha!'

"Of course he Idoes/I! He seems to have forgotten that I am no longer a teenager, and am now a 29 year old doctor who can actually determine who she wants to date by herself." 

Vaughn let out a sarcastic laugh and said something under his breath. 

"What was that?" Jules asked annoyed. 

"Oh nothing," Michael said looking back toward the living room. 

Jules just shook her head. She didn't want to hear what he had to say, because deep down inside, she knew he was right. She always seemed to pick the biggest jerks to latch on to. 

IBut being able to pick the losers then learn from my mistakes is better than not being able to see any guy at all.../I Jules thought to herself, looking on the brightside. 

"Oh yeah," Syd said, suddenly remembering her conversation with Will earlier in the day, "Jules, what do you think about my friend, Will? You met him a couple of nights ago at the restaurant."

Jules and Michael almost choked on their drinks simulataneously. 

"IWhat?!/I" They both exclaimed in unison. 

"Yeah! I have a feeling he really likes you, Jules. He hasn't been with anyone for a really long time, and he's such a sweetheart...I think you guys would have a lot of fun. Before you go back that is." 

"Really?" Jules asked, somewhat excitedly. "He mentioned me?"

"Oh yeah, he can't stop talking about you...he really had a good time. I slipped him your cell number, so you might get a call from him soon."

Jules just smiled. She had to admit, she was attracted to Will that night. But then again, she did only get to hang out with him for less than an hour. But what could one date hurt? 

"That's great! You can tell him that I think it would be a lot of fun and I'm waiting for his call." 

"Really? I can't wait to tell him! He'll be so psyked." Syd said, suddenly noticing the unsure look on the face of Michael. 

"Oh, don't worry about him. That's the look he gets whenever he hears anying about me being within 100 feet of a man. The sirens ring and the lights flash in his mind, it'll wear off in a couple of minutes." 

~~~

"This place isn't as badly decorated as you made it seem, Jules," Syd said as they walked out of the kitchen after finishing the dishes. 

"Yeah, I guess, but lights? Everyone has lights. This place is so dull and boring. We really need some Christmas decorations." Jules said excitedly. 

"First of all, those lights took forever to put up! You should be thankful I had enough time to even do that! Second of all, that tone in your voice is not good. You definately have something up your sleeve..." Vaughn said suspiciously

"Michael, some Christmas decorations Iwouldn't/I hurt..." Syd said cautiously as she looked around. 

"Not you, too!" He exclaimed. 

"Yes U2!" Jules responded as she rushed to the stereo. "Mikey! We forgot all about our special Christmas CD we made!" 

"Yeah! That CD is seriously amazing. You will be blown away." Michael said to Syd as they made their way towards the living room once again. 

Suddenly U2's "Baby Please Come Home" flooded the room. 

"I Ilove/I this song! Seriously!" Syd exclaimed happily. "You don't understand what a U2 fan I am. It's one of my only unhealthy fatuations. Them and Brad Pitt, understandably so." 

Jules laughed. "Then you and Mikey here have a lot in common..." she said before she ran into another room. 

"You love U2, also?" Syd asked in shock. 

"Who doesn't?" Michael responded, amused at Syd's shock. 

"True. Who's your favorite member? No, wait, let me guess....You look like an Edge kind of guy." 

Michael just smiled, "how'd you know?"

"It's that spy sense, I'm tellin ya."

Jules then came out of the room, Mini-Christmas tree in hand, with three gifts, and pushing a box of ornaments with her foot. 

"What's all of this?" Michael asked as he picked up the box of ornaments and placed it on the table. 

"For the gift exchange!" Jules said as she placed the tree on a side table. 

"You've got one great sister, Michael," Syd noted. 

"Thank you, Sydney, atleast Isomeone/I cares..." Jules said glaring at a confused Michael. 

"Is this Jimmy Eat World singing 'Last Christmas' by WHAM?" Syd asked in disbelief. 

"Yeah!! Isn't it great?" Jules asked excitedly. 

"Says the girl who was madly in love with George Michael. George MICHAEL for godssake!" Michael added. 

"Hey, I distinctly remember a certain someone going to a Madonna concert to quote 'see the Beastie Boys' even though he was secretly madly in love with Madonna." 

"Hey, thats not bad! Everyone was madly in love with Madonna and still is! And it was no secret! I was quite open with it." 

Syd just laughed at the sibling banter that seemed to be a constant when it came to Michael and his sister. 

"I don't know...When it came to George Michael, the "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" video really says it all. There's nothing like short-shorts and prancing to say 'I'm so not gay'." Syd joked, making Michael laugh hysterically. 

"Good one, Syd!" Michael said, giving Syd a high-five. 

"Hey! George Michael is still straight in my book." Jules said. 

"Yeah, sure. And Michael Jackson is still black." Michael retorted. 

"Good one!" Syd said, imitating Michael's earlier compliment, and hi-fiving him. 

Jules just shook her head at their blatant display of loserness, and motioned for the two of them to join her to decorate the mini-tree. 

~~~

"Okay, so get this," Jules started, eager to embarass her brother more in front of the girl that he was clearly head over heels in love with, "Mike's a sophmore in college and he brings his girlfriend IKrista/I home to spend time with the family. I know, you're probably wondering like I was, why this Krista wouldn't want to spend Christmas with her own family, and I have no clue. She must have really been in love with our Mike here for her to want to spend time with Iour family/I..." 

"Krista was nice. You said you actually liked her!" 

"No, I never said that, I definately said that I understood why Iyou/I liked her. Blonde hair and big boobs -- what every college guy loves."

Michael turned bright red as Syd raised her eyebrows and looked at him. 

"So yeah, that's beside the point...Krista came and spent the holidays with us. Our Mom said she had to stay in my room and Michael could stay in his room, and Michael wasn't too happy with that. But he knew better than to mess with our mom, so he planned to sneak Krista out of my room, in the middle of the night, and bring her to him. Now, I was having a sleep over with five or so of my girlfriends, and a certain someone ratted him out...I'll give you a hint: it was me."

Michael proceeded to give Jules the deadliest stare Syd had ever seen. 

"It wasn't my fault. IYou're/I the one who really made me do it." 

"I have absolutely no clue what you're talking about."

"How would you like it if the brother that you [i]adored[/i] and who was always interested in what you were up to no matter what, came home for Christmas and didn't even give you the time of day because he was too busy 'getting some' from his girlfriend. I was heartbroken! And you didn't bother to realize it, so I had to teach you a lesson." Jules finished. 

"That still is no reason for you to do that to me. You don't understand how painful that night was for me." Michael said, seriously hurt. Now they had Sydney's complete interest. 

"What happened?" She asked, tapping on Michael's knee. 

"Well..." Michael started, but was cut off by Jules. 

"So, Michael snuck his girlfriend into his room, I told on him, my mom proceeded to barge in on the two of them about to 'do the nasty', kick Mikey here out into the hallway in just his boxers while she lectured Krista. You can imagine what a night it must have been for my girlfriends, they were literally in shock. It was pretty funny and nasty at the same time, but yeah, Mom let Krista pack up and leave, then made Mike stand out in the cold in just his boxers for like an hour." 

Sydney covered her mouth to hide the fact that she was laughing, because Michael looked pretty angry. 

"It wasn't funny," he said matter of factly, "it was demeaning and painful, and i still have scars." 

"No you don't! You should just be happy that she didn't make you stand out there naked. Mom was ready to make it so that you wouldn't be able to take part in the making of little baby Mikeys for a long time." 

"That's seriously hilarious. The funniest thing I've heard in a really, really long time. Definately beats out all my college stories." Syd said, wiping the tears that were forming at her eyes. 

"That's not even the worst of it...Mike's had his share of embarassing moments..." Jules said, ready to continue. Vaughn shot her another look so she decided to refrain. "But I suppose those are for other times and places."

"It's just so funny because that seems like the complete opposite of who he is now," Syd said, staring at Michael in shock. 

Michael just smiled and shook his head. "I'm glad I got all that out of my system then, rather than having to deal with the aftermath now. I'm lucky I got good grades because I still don't know how I was able to manage it."

"Yeah, just imagine where you would be today if you weren't always jacking off in college..." Jules noted. 

"See, that's where you and Mom were always wrong. You always thought I was partying and doing all this crap in college when I really was applying myself. I knew my limits, the only problem was that I didn't take advantage of that knowledge, I used it to judge how much I could party before I really had to get to work." 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Jules said, turning to Sydney. "Syd, you never opened your gift!" 

"Oh yeah..." She said, with a huge smile on her face. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you anything, it was just too short notice." 

"Oh no, that's really fine! You'll understand when you open it..." Jules said, unable to hide her excitement. 

Sydney unwrapped the gift carefully and was greeted by an old photo album. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Michael said immediately, "is that what I think that is?"

"Uh-huh," Jules said happily as Sydney opened up to the first page and saw a picture of who she presumed were Michael's mother and father holding a baby in their arms. 

"Is that you?" She asked Michael softly, and she touched the page. 

"Yeah, that's me," he said, looking at Sydney who was compelled by the photo album. 

"Do you like it?" Jules asked. "Obviously, you can't keep it, but I figured we could look through it just for fun. I know what situation you guys are in, and seeing that you don't really know much about the real Mikey, I figured I could show you." 

"Jules, this is the sweetest gift anyone has ever not given me," Sydney said with a laugh as she hugged Jules. 

"No problem..." 

They started flipping through the pages together as Michael got up to go to the bathroom and get a drink for himself, and also one for Syd, even though she didn't ask for it. By the time he got back they were already at age 8. 

"Michael, you were the cutest baby on the face of this Earth. Seriously." Sydney said, smiling up at him. "And Jules was seriously Igorgeous/I..."

"I know, I know," Jules joked, nudging Sydney's shoulder. 

~~~

"And that's it." Jules said, closing the photo album. By the time the two of them finished the album, Michael appeared to be in extreme pain. 

"What are you so mad about?" Syd asked. 

"I don't know...I just don't find it fun to relive all my awkward and painful moments..." Michael said, taking the album and putting it away. 

"Oh, don't be upset, Mike, Syd had a good time," Jules said, as she pulled out her cell phone to check one of her messages. 

"Yeah, I thought you were adorable! There's nothing to be embarassed of." Syd said, getting up to stand beside Michael. 

"The eighties were [i]not[/i] adorable..." Michael joked. Syd just rolled her eyes. 

"I'm sorry guys, but I just got a message from Ann--" Jules started. 

"Jonnie's Ann?" Michael asked concerned. 

"Yeah, but don't worry, she was just reminding me that I told them I'd be over there for dinner, so I gotta jet." Jules said, pulling on her jacket, and picking up her keys. "Have fun. And don't you kids do anything too crazy." Jules joked before reaching for the door. "Mike, you can take care of dinner, right?" 

"Yeah, have fun," Michael said as he locked the door. He turned around, his smile growing as he approached Syd. "So, it looks like it's just me and you tonight..." 

"You didn't happen to plan that, did you?" Syd asked, herself also grinning as she nervously placed two hands on Michael's chest. He smiled and followed suit by taking a small step forward and placing his hands on her hips. 

"Maybe I did," he responded, his voice barely above a whisper, as his face began to inch towards her. Suddenly, much to Michael's suprise, Sydney turned her head downward and removed her hands from him. 

"Michael, I don't know if I can do this. This is so completely dangerous," Syd said, her tone turning frantic, "What will happen if someone finds ou--"

"Shh," Michael hushed Sydney, placing a finger on her lips. "Sydney, for once let's just forget about everything. Forget about the consequences, forget about what we really do and who we really are, and for once, lets give ourselves what we really want..." Michael's hand made it's way to the side of Syd's face, and his thumb was now softly caressing the line of her jaw. Sydney closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she slowly lifted her hands to Michael's shirt, and slid them up until they were securely around his neck. 

"God, you are so incredibly beautiful," Michael said, in awe of Sydney's face within inches of his. 

"Am I Ireally/I?" She asked, implying something else beyond simply physical beauty. 

IKnowing who I am and what I do for a living...lying, cheating, stealing, killing... the list goes on and on. How could anyone ever find me to be beautiful?/I

Understanding exactly what she meant, Michael quickly responded adamantly. 

"Yes, you are." 

And with that, he leaned in and kissed Sydney softly on her lips. In the book of "First Kisses Ever In The History Of The World," this was must've ranked pretty high. It started softly, but slowly gained intensity, but not too quickly, because both knew they didn't want to go that far so soon, despite the time constraints they had. They felt like they had been kissing for only a moment, when they pulled apart, but by the rate of their breathing, they both knew otherwise. Syd leaned her forehead on Michael's, her eyes still closed. Michael slowly opened his eyes and lifted his hand to her face once more, causing her to open her eyes. 

"This isn't happening." She said simply. 

"I think it is," He responded, letting his thumb graze her face once more. 

"Kiss me again." She demanded softly. Michael had never heard her sound so vulnerable the whole time he'd known her. He leaned in and kissed her softly, not letting this one get as intense as the last. He slowly pulled away and waited for Syd to open her eyes once more. The apartment was almost completely silent, except for the Christmas CD Jules put in before she left. Chris Martin from Coldplay's voice faintly hung in the air

IHave yourself a merry little Christmas

Let your heart be light, 

From now on our troubles 

Will be out of sight.../I

"You hungry?" He asked, smiling genuinely. 

She looked toward the kitchen, then back at Michael. 

"Nah. Let's watch a movie," She said, entwining her fingers in his before they made their way to the couch. 

"How does 'It's A Wonderful Life' sound to you?" he asked, picking up the DVD player's remote before sitting down on the couch. 

"Perfect," Syd said, letting her head rest in the crook of Michael's neck as she snuggled towards him, "just perfect." 

"'It's A Wonderful Life' it is then..." Michael said, clicking on the play button on the remote. Michael kissed Sydney's hair before resting his head on top of hers. 

IThis is what a normal life feels like.../I Sydney thought to herself, knowing full well that what happened was far from normal.

bEND CHAPTER SEVEN/b


	8. Hold On Hope

****

Chapter Eight - Hold On Hope  
  
_Invitation to the last dance  
Then it's time to leave  
But that's the price we pay  
...When we deceive  
One another/animal mother  
She opens up for free  
Everybody's got a hold on hope  
It's the last thing   
That's holding me  
  
-Guided By Voices "Hold On Hope"_  
  
Michael slowly let his hand run through Sydney's hair as she slept in his lap. She had fallen asleep an hour earlier, almost right after they decided to watch Die Hard next. They both agreed that it was the quintessential holiday movie and Bruce Willis walking barefoot over broken glass never got old. It was approaching midnight as Jules came through the door.   
  
"Oh, hey guys, still u--" she started but was quickly hushed by Michael, who motioned that Sydney was asleep. Jules held her mouth shut, then smiled at the sight of her brother and Syd. They both looked so incredibly content. She didn't know what he was going to do when they had to move on...  
  
_No, I do. They're not going to move on. Plain and simple._  
  
"Let her stay the night," Jules insisted as she took off her jacket and put it on the coat rack.   
  
Michael shook his head adamantly. Jules could tell what he was thinking.   
  
_It's too dangerous. What else is new?_  
  
"How'd it go?" She asked, changing the subject as she made her way to the couch. Michael just smiled and raised his eyebrows.   
  
"Niiiice," Jules said, gently nudging Michael's arm. "I better get to bed...I'm beat." She said as she walked toward the bedroom. "And atleast take her home, Mike. Don't make her go back alone."   
  
Michael looked down at Syd's peaceful form, unsure about what he should do.   
  
_Screw consequences. Let her stay. No,_ make _her stay. Here in your arms and don't let her leave._ He told himself, yearning to feel Syd's touch once more. _No! What are you talking about?! Screw the consequences?! Screw the consequences and get both her and you killed. And that's not gonna happen._  
  
Michael knew adjusting to life as it used to be wouldn't be easy. But it's what they had to do. Until the Alliance had fallen and SD-6 was gone forever.   
  
_But God only knows how long that will take._  
  
A part of him knew that he would never again be "Vaughn" in her eyes, and although they may not have shared a night of "love-making," they had still made a connection.   
  
_More than a connection...And there was no need to ruin everything with one night of hot, intense, passionate...  
  
Whoa there. Whoa. There._  
  
The fact of the matter was that their relationship was far deeper than simply an undeniable attraction, both phsyically and psycologically. It was so much more than that...  
  
_And even though all I want to do is tear off all of her clothes right here, right now, I won't. And I can't...Jules_ is _in the other room, and seeing her brother having sex would probably scar her for life. No, it definately would scar her for life._  
  
Michael decided that he had let his mind (mind meaning hormones, of course)run away with him. There was no need to think about the future. He still had the present to savor. So he quietly reached for the remote to turn the TV off, and the slight movement stirred Sydney, causing her to turn on her other side.   
  
"Hhmmrphmm...Michael..." She mumbled, as Michael felt her hand slide under his shirt. He immediately tensed up, the shock of her skin against his overwhelming him.   
  
Michael recovered quickly, knowing full well that Sydney had to get out of his place before it got too late. He placed his hand on Sydney's head softly.   
  
"Syd...Sydney..." he whispered softly.   
  
"Mmmmm...Michael...." Sydney moaned, rubbing her hand across his abdomen. Michael quickly reached under and pulled her hand out, knowing that he didn't want to let it get out of hand. Sydney gently woke up with the sudden movement. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and she was clearly disoriented. She looked over and saw that her head was resting on someone's lap. She let her eye's slowly wander up to their face, and she blushed with embarassment as she realized who it was.   
  
"Good dream?" Michael asked slyly.   
  
"Mmm...Very." Sydney said, sheepishly buring her face in the couch.   
  
Michael smiled and let his hand run through her hair once more. He could feel Syd sigh, as he placed his hand where her shoulders met and she turned her face up to face him.   
  
"What time is it?" She asked.   
  
"12:07" Michael replied, completely lost in Sydney's presence once again.   
  
"Oh God, I should really get out of here..." Sydney said, getting up frantically. Michael quickly got up and stopped her, grabbing her wrist for a moment.   
  
"Wait," he said simply, lowering his voice so he wouldn't bother Jules, "I want to give you something..."   
  
"No," Syd snapped, dampering Micahel's spirits.   
  
"What?" He asked, heartbroken, and afraid that perhaps, she had changed her mind and decided the whole night was a big mistake.   
  
"Bring it to my place in five minutes." She said playing with the seam of his t-shirt. "I have something to give you too, but I left it at home. I couldn't get anything for Jules and I thought it would be rude to give you something, but not her...Plus, it's kind of personal." She said, looking up at him shlyly.   
  
Michael just smiled. It was strange for him to see Sydney like this.   
  
_Strange is good...strange is definately good._  
  
"Okay," he responded with a grin. Suddenly realizing the suicidal nature of this little rendezvous, Michael spoke up. "Wait, won't this be really dangerous? Why don't you just bring it later?"  
  
"No. Really, don't worry about it, my father's taken care of it."   
  
"Jack?" Michael asked, genuinely confused. "He agreed to this?"  
  
"Yeah," Syd said softly, remembering her conversation with Jack the day before at her house, "yeah he did."   
  
_*Christmas Eve*  
  
"Michael? Michael as in Michael Vaughn?!" Jack asked incredulously.   
  
Sydney took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead frustratedly. Sometimes she really wished she could just staple Francie's mouth shut._  
  
I swear I could just...  
  
_"Sydney!" Jack whispered loudly. "Do you understand how dangerous this is?! There's absolutely no way I'm going to let you go through with this. And, as a matter of fact, there's no way I'm going to let Agent Vaughn be your handler. He has let his emotions cloud his judgment, and it's too dangerous to let that happen, especially when your life rests in his hands. I understand that you two have...'feelings' about each other...but he should have the sense to know what boundries cannot be crossed. No matter what." Jack stopped his pacing and turned to face Syd directly. "No matter what."   
  
"Dad, no." Syd said quietly but confidently. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm pretty capable of taking care of myself. I can make decisions knowing full well what the implications may be--"  
  
"Clearly, you do not because if you did--"  
  
"DAD! Let me finish." Syd said angrily. "For once in my life I'm going to do what I want to do. Not what the CIA wants me to do, not what SD-6 wants me to do, and sure as Hell not what YOU want me to do. I shouldn't have to live a sad and lonely life just because of what happened to Danny. I have a chance to be happy for once and I'm going to take it. It's what I want, and I know it's what he would want too. I understand that I can't let this continue after tomorrow...and it won't. But please just help me out here. I just want one day. One day of happiness is all I ask of you. Please, Dad...Please."   
  
Jack breathed deeply, absorbing everything Sydney had revealed to him. She was right._   
  
She shouldn't have to live a lonely and depressing life as I did. But the fact of the matter is that the cost of happiness could very well be her life. And I can't let that happen...  
  
_Jack looked up at Sydney's desperate face. The past four months had been so incredibly overwhelming, and he could see the stress all over her face. So much pain in those young brown eyes...he knew what he had to do. And he knew that they wouldn't be able to just turn away from each other after this. But if he didn't agree, she would do it anyway, which would be far more life-threatening...  
  
"I'll take care of Security Section." Jack said, giving in.   
  
"Thank you, Dad," Syd said, letting her emotions overtake her as she hugged her father. "Thank you."   
  
Jack awkwardly accepted the hug, patting her lightly on the back.   
  
"As long as you understand what you're getting yourself into," Jack said in last ditch efforts to change Sydney's mind.   
  
"I completely understand," she responded confidently._  
  
"Wow," Michael said simply. That wasn't the Jack Bristow he had come to know.   
  
"So yeah, I should probably get out. But come to my place in a few minutes. I'll leave the window to my room open so it's not to conspicous...even though we wont have to worry about being caught, it's always best to play it safe."   
  
"Yeah..." Michael said, still a little unsure.   
  
_He doesn't want to come. I should have just brought the gift here and this whole thing wouldn't have happened. It's too dangerous...it's crazy. No matter how much Michael loves me, he'd never put both my life and his in danger just to give him a gift...and maybe a little bit more...  
  
But he_ has _to come..._  
  
"Hey," Sydney said softly as she intwined her fingers in his, "we only have a few hours left, and it'll be safe. I promise."   
  
_I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing Syd like this...So young and vibrant and...in love. It's such a departure from her normal demeanor. She's usually so serious and direct and...certainly not shy._ Most definately _not shy..._  
  
All of a sudden, it hit him. _He_ was the one who made Sydney like this. It was like he rejuvinated her spirit or something. She was a new woman, more radiant and beautiful than ever.   
  
_I have to go with her. There's no question. If this is the only opportunity I have to be with her like this, I will regret it for the rest of my life...But there's no denying the degree of danger that this involves. Sure Jack may be "taking care of it" but nothing is ever as it seems...  
  
This really isn't my decision to make. It's hers. I just want her to be happy. If that's what she wants, that's what I want too. If she says it'll be safe, I trust her. It's just this one time, anyway..._  
  
Michael smiled sweetly at Syd as he let go of one of her hands, and ran his fingers along the side of her face. "Are you sure?"   
  
Sydney just nodded as she settled her hands on Michael's stomache, and kept her eyes fixed there. She knew how incredibly dangerous this was going to be, and she knew that after this, there was no turning back. No more pretending...no more protocol to keep them apart. Her life would become even more complicated than it already was, and she'd have to find a way to balance it all.   
  
Lies...with Michael came more lies. Lies to her Father, lies to the CIA, lies to her friends...But these lies seemed worth it.   
  
Michael gently lifted her chin.   
  
"Then you should get out of here, I'll meet you in about twenty minutes or so," Michael said softly. Sydney grinned wildly as she wrapped her arms around Michael's neck and hugged him tightly.   
  
"Be careful," she said as she slowly pulled away.   
  
"Hey, that's my line," Michael joked as he pulled Syd in for a quick kiss. Despite the incredible high Sydney got when kissing Michael, it still felt strange. It would take time to adjust to this new side of him.   
  
"I'll see you soon," Syd said, leaning her forehead on his, "and tell Jules I had a great time, but had to go."   
  
"Okay," Vaughn replied softly nodding his head.   
  
Syd kissed him one last time before she left. As soon as the door to the apartment closed, the door to Michael's room flew open.   
  
"Are you going to do what I think you're going to do?" Jules asked incredulously as she stood in the doorway. "And if you are, please say no anyway. Just humor me."   
  
Michael rolled his eyes as he walked toward her and pushed her out of the way.   
  
"Jules, is everything always about sex when it comes to you?"   
  
"Ugh! Please! I asked you to just simply say no, that's it."   
  
"What's so wrong about me saying the word sex?! We are both full grown adults here." Michael asked confused by his sisters behavior. He made his way to his closet and fished out a pair of old tennis shoes and an old gray hooded sweatshirt.   
  
"It's just creepy, so stop. See, if I mention sex, you get angry. If you mention sex, I get creeped out. It's just a fact of life. The natural brother-sister response."   
  
"Whatever," he replied, his mind preoccupied by something else. He sat on the edge of his bed and began to put on his shoes as Jules sat beside him. "I don't think anything will happen anyway...I won't let it. After today we have to go back to our regular lives and regular roles in each other's lives. We can't change that. And if we..._take that step in our relationship_...nothing would ever be the same between us."   
  
"Mikey, I hate to break it to you, but I seriously don't think anything will be the same between you two anyway. I saw the way Sydney looks at you, the way she acts when she's around you...trust me, there's no turning back now."   
  
Michael ran his hand through his hair frustratedly.   
  
"Jules, you have no idea what you're talking about. I'm just going over there to give her the gift I got, and to enjoy the last few hours of freedom we can spend together. I know that nothing can become of this relationship while SD-6 and the Alliance are still in operation. I know what boundries we can't cross, and I'll make sure they won't get crossed. It'll be hard, but there's no other choice."   
  
"Mike, sometimes you're so stupid." Jules replied simply.   
  
"I really don't think you have any say in this matter, seeing that you have _absolutely no idea_ about _our_ lives and _our_ jobs."  
  
"_Our_, Michael?" Jules asked smiling sadly.   
  
"Yes, _Juliana_, our."  
  
"Mike, you guys clearly care a lot about each other. Okay, that's an understatement. You guys love each other so incredibly much but are petrified of what could happen as a result. You never bothered to think that maybe it could be a good thing. For the both of you. Yeah, it might mean that you would have to work around certain, uh, _circumstances_ but it can be done. Nothing's impossible. It may be hard for awhile, but it gets easier. Trust me, Mikey, life is so incredibly worth living when you have someone around that cares for you that much."   
  
"I know, that's why I'll be able to move on afterwards. It's not like she's leaving, Jules. I'll always have her."   
  
"How many months will it be before you guys bring down SD-6, huh? Wait, I mean _years_?"   
  
Michael just looked down at his feet silently waiting for Jules to continue.   
  
"You'll always have her Michael, but there's a diffence between being there for someone, and really _being_ there for someone. Do you know what I mean?" Jules asked bending her head so it was level with Michael's. He sighed and nodded his head softly. "Just think about it Mike. Yeah, it'll be dangerous, but it'll make your life that much more bearable." Michael silently put his arm around his sister.   
  
"When did you become so wise?"  
  
Jules laughed then became serious once again.   
  
"I want you to be happy, Mike. I'm sick of seeing you alone and depressed like you've been for the past year. But just please, be careful. Please."   
  
"I will, Jules, I will." Michael said, kissing the side of his sister's head.   
  
"Do you _promise_ me?" She asked desperately.   
  
"I promise." Michael answered wholeheartedly.   
  
"Good," Jules replied laughing slightly as she wiped the tears forming in her eyes. "Because if you didn't..."   
  
"Hey, it's me." He replied smiling.   
  
"That's what I'm worried about," Jules retorted, smiling.   
  
~~~  
  
Sydney walked out of her bedroom wearing a white tanktop and pink flannel pajamas. She contemplated changing back into what she was wearing at Michael's place, but decided that she was more comfortable this way. Suddenly her stomache started growling. Realizing she hadn't eaten since three, she made her way over to the kitchen. As she approached the fridge, she stopped and decided to wait for Michael, who also hadn't had dinner yet.   
  
It had been fifteen minutes since Sydney got home, and the excitement of meeting Michael was building up inside her. She had checked her messages and thankfully, Francie called to say she wouldn't be back until the afternoon. Sydney made her way back to her bedroom and opened the window as a signal to Michael. The cool night air hit her face, and she drew a deep breath, knowing full well what this little meeting meant. Even if they were just going to exchange gifts.  
  
_Speaking of gifts..._   
  
Sydney made her way to her closet, and pulled out a neatly wrapped box, and placed it on her dresser.   
  
_We'll have to stay in here, because having all the lights on in the kitchen and living room will draw too much attention..._ Syd thought, trying to work out a game plan for the rest of the night.   
  
She did a quick run through of the apartment, making sure everything looked perfect. It was the first time Michael will have seen her place, and she wanted to make sure that he'd love it. As she turned off the living room light, making it appear as if she was going to bed to any outsider, she heard a rustle by her bed room window. She immediately made her way to the bedroom, on her guard. If it wasn't Michael, she had to be ready. She braced herself as she entered the room, but breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Michael climb in and close the window.   
  
"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm in high school again, sneaking into my girlfriend's bedroom?" Michael asked, joking as he locked the window and closed the binds securely.   
  
Sydney laughed as she made her way towards him.  
  
"I don't know what kind of girlfriends you had...Letting you into their rooms at night..." Sydney said, raising her eyebrows suspiciously.   
  
"Nice pjs" Michael said, immediately changing the subject. Sydney couldn't help but blush.   
  
"Yeah, well--"   
  
"They're cute," Michael said as he approached Sydney and placed his hands on her hips.   
  
"Yeah, well, so are you." Sydney said smiling as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.   
  
"That was pretty dangerous," Michael said motioning to the window with his head as he pulled away from the kiss.   
  
"I know," Sydney responded right away, "we'll have to figure out a safer way for _next time_."   
  
Michael immediately noticed her implication and smiled.   
  
"Yeah," he said, taking her hands in his, "yeah, we will." Suddenly Michael laughed, and looked around the room. "So, do all your first dates make it as far as the bedroom, or am I just lucky?"  
  
Sydney laughed and pushed his chest playfully.   
  
"What?" He responded, also laughing. "It's a fair question!"   
  
"We'll just have to see how lucky you get..." Syd said tilting her head up at him. Michael gave her an 'Oh really?' look, but before he could respond, she turned around and pulled his arm, signalling him to follow. "Come on, I'm starved." She said, leading him towards the kitchen.   
  
~~~  
  
_Outside Sydney's Apartment_  
  
Jack Bristow sat in his car, a block away from his daughter's apartment. He had everything secured and her activies in the past day had gone unnoticed by both the CIA and SD-6. Sydney had gotten home about 15 minutes ago, but he didn't quite feel like leaving just yet.   
  
_She got home at 12:37. 12:37 and 26 seconds to be exact. _  
  
Jack couldn't help but be a little suspicious of his daughter and Agent Vaughn's activities. It's not that he didn't trust Agent Vaughn, he had proven his allegiance, skill, and most of all, love for his daughter time and time again.   
  
_Nothing good will come from this. Nothing. _  
  
He couldn't help but let the Father within him take over his conscience. Sure, he hadn't been there for Sydney in the past, but he was there now. And he wasn't going to let anything happen to her.   
  
_Sometimes you just have to put feelings aside and move on with your life, accepting that you can't have some things, depite how much you may want them..._  
  
But he had to admit, something was different about Sydney when she came home. He couldn't put his finger on what it was exactly, but she looked...content. She was glowing, and Jack knew exactly why. And that's why he was so worried.   
  
_What's the use sitting here and contemplating Sydney's situation? She's home safely, and now my job's done. She's old enough to make her own decisions and live her own life. No matter how stupid those decisions are.   
  
Ha, happiness? When you sign up for this life, you pretty much throw happiness out the window. You'd think she'd realize that after what happened with Danny..._   
  
Jack immediately felt horrible for using Sydney's devastating loss against her. Sometimes he didn't understand why he couldn't just be a normal Father. Who wasn't out to hide things from his daughter, but to help her through life...guide her...protect her from the evils of the world...  
  
But he couldn't do that. There really was no place for him in her life as it was.  
  
_She has been through a lot. And if she were to have someone to spend time with that actually made her feel like her life was not one huge lie, it's probably best that it's Agent Vaughn. Someone who could help her in a time of need rather than someone she'd need to protect..._  
  
He then reached for his keys, sure that no matter what decision Sydney made, he would be there for her. Maybe not in person, but surely in spirit. As he started to turn the key, he noticed a dark figure approach Sydney's apartment. Jack quickly reached for his binoculars, and looked towards Sydney's place, able to see Sydney's figure through the sheer curtains that covered her windows. She seemed a bit on edge, but also expectant. The lights inside the apartment went out, and Jack immediately looked toward the figure, who was approaching her window. Recognizing the face, Jack placed the binoculars down on the seat beside him, and rubbed his eyes frustratedly.  
  
He changed his mind.   
  
_They're making a big mistake.   
  
A big mistake._  
  
**END CHAPTER EIGHT**


	9. Stay, and the Night Would be Enough

****

Chapter Nine - Stay, and the Night Would be Enough  
  
_If I could stay, then the night would give you up.   
Stay, and the day would keep its trust.   
Stay, and the night would be enough.   
  
-U2 "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)"_  
  
  
"You hungry?" Syd asked as she opened up the fridge.   
  
"Uh...yeah..." Michael responded, completely fascinated by Syd's apartment.   
  
_This is so her._ He thought to himself as he looked around. Sydney glaced up at Michael and smiled.   
  
"I love your place," he said walking up to the kitchen counter and leaning up against it.   
  
"Thank you," Sydney said beaming. She pulled out a carton of ice cream from the freezer and chocolate sauce and whip cream from the fridge. Michael couldn't help but laugh.   
  
"I'm up for sundaes," he joked as she handed him the ice cream, then went to get two spoons.   
  
"So am I," Syd responded with a glint in her eye. She turned the lights off then started to walk back to her room, motioning for Michael to follow her.   
  
"Why can't we just hang out here?" Michael asked, now standing in the dark.   
  
"I just thought it was a little conspicuous to have all my lights on at one AM. Don't you think? And you can practically see through those curtains, so I figured we could just play it safe."   
  
"Did you ever think of replacing the curtains?" Michael asked as they entered Syd's room and she closed the door. "To something less sheer, perhaps?"   
  
"Trust me, I've tried. But Francie loves them. I have no clue why. So I figured I might as well let her have them. It's not so bad most of the time." Syd finished as she put the stuff down on her dresser and pulled out a large towel. She carefully spread the towel out across her bed, then returned to the dresser to not only pick up the chocolate sauce and whip cream, but also her gift. She placed them carefully on the bed, then sat cross-legged at the base of it. Michael couldn't keep the grin off his face as he put the chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream down and sat across from her.   
  
"So, ice cream first or presents?" Syd asked eagerly.   
  
"Well, the ice cream seems to be rock solid, so I'd say presents." Michael replied after investigating the state of the ice cream.   
  
"Then presents it is." Sydney said reaching over and handing Michael her wrapped box. "You open first."   
  
Michael took the present and put it up to his ear shaking it slightly.   
  
"Lemme guess...A book?"   
  
Sydney slapped his arm playfully and rolled her eyes.   
  
"Just open it, smart-ass."   
  
"No need to whip out the harsh language, I'm opening, I'm opening." Michael replied as he began to unwrap what knew was a book.   
  
"A First Edition of Catcher in the Rye?! How'd you get this, Syd? And how'd you know that this was my favorite book when I was younger?"  
  
"Well, I remembered this one time after I came back from...Lima, I think. You mentioned something about Holden Caulfield. I knew that would be the perfect gift. So I looked around, and eventually I stubled upon this one. I'm glad you like it." Syd explained, waiting for Michael's reaction.   
  
"Syd, I love it..." he responded, leafing through the pages. Suddenly, two tickets fell out. "Wha...?"  
  
Sydney's smile grew wider as Michael picked up the tickets and examined them closely.   
  
"Two tickets to the Kings Flyers game? Next Thursday?" Michael asked, slightly dazed. "These are practically on the ice, Syd. You really didn't have to do this..."   
  
"No, I wanted to. And judging by the look on your face, you're pretty glad."  
  
"Glad? That's an understatement, Syd. Your gifts so blow my gift out of the water." Michael said with a hint of sadness in his voice, as he reached into his pocket.   
  
"Well, I'll be the judge of that. And if it fits into your pocket, that means one of two things. It's either, a) really nice, or b) really crappy. You've got a 50-50 chance."   
  
Michael pulled out a small, skinny box out of his pocket and handed it to Sydney.   
  
"I don't know if you'll like it..." Michael said, trailing off as he handed her the gift.   
  
"I'll love it, Michael, I know I will," She responded smiling sweetly, "now let me open it!" she said playfully snatching the gift from his hand.   
  
Sydney slowly opened it, making sure that she didn't tear the wrapping paper. She was always anal about that, and all of her friends made fun of her for it, but Michael didn't say a word. It seemed to fit her personality, or so he thought. She then folded the wrapping paper and put it on the side. She opened the box and was blown away by what was inside. She carefully picked up the handblown Venetian glass pen that sat inside and stared at it in wonder. The colors swirled around so beatifully, it really was mesmirizing. She quickly looked up to Michael, still in awe.   
  
"It's beautiful, Michael," She said touching his face softly and leaning in for a kiss. Michael quickly cut the kiss off and motioned to the ice cream.   
  
"Yeah, this is probably gonna melt soon so we better get to it..." He said, picking up a spoon. Sydney laughed as she turned back to the ice cream and opened it up.   
  
"So Agent Vaughn, what's your favorite flavor ice cream?" Syd asked, grinning devilishly as she sprayed some whip cream directly into the container, followed by the chocolate sauce.   
  
"Hmm...I'd definately have to say Rocky Road. You've got the chocolate, the nuts, the marshmellows...what more could you ask for?" Michael replied as he dug into the ice cream.   
  
"Really?" Syd asked somewhat shocked, "you don't look like a Rocky Road kind of guy."   
  
"Then what kind of guy do I look like?" He asked, clearly amused.   
  
"Well, I'd say straight up vanilla," Sydney responded matter of factly.   
  
"Hey!" Michael retorted, genuinely insulted. "Do I really come off as that big of a prick?"   
  
"Of course not! You don't come off as a prick...just very, _by the book_. You know what I mean?"   
  
"No, I don't know what you mean," Michael responded with attitude. Sydney laughed and pointed her spoon with whip cream on it at Michael.   
  
"But after all those stories I heard today, I guess you do kind of seem like a Rocky Road kind of guy," Syd said jokingly, as she smeared some whip cream on his nose.   
  
"Now, that was just uncalled for," Michael responded as he swiped his finger across the whip cream in the ice cream container, then smeared it across Sydney's cheek. Sydney laughed as both her and Michael wiped the whipped cream off their faces, and they just stared at each other for a moment. Sydney was about to speak up, when Michael cut her off.   
  
"So, what's _your_ favorite flavor?" Sydney smiled, and turned back to the ice cream.  
  
"I've always been a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough kind of girl."   
  
"Really? You don't look it," Michael responded, mocking Syd. She laughed and played along.   
  
"Then what do I really look like?"   
  
"Well, definately water."   
  
"What?!" Syd asked bursting out into a fit of laughter. "They don't make _water_ flavored ice cream. I actually don't think it's possible to make. And if they did, no one would ever get it because it would taste like...water!"   
  
"My point exactly. Now you know how I felt." Michael said, trying to pout.  
  
"You're not pouting, you are so not pouting," Sydney said as she inched closer to him.   
  
"I never _was_ good at that," he joked as he put his spoon on the nightstand. Sydney picked up the ice cream and held it in her hands as she moved forward until her knees were touching Michael's. She dug in and took a bite of the ice cream then grinned wildly.   
  
"You've seriously got to taste this...It's like heaven on Earth," she said preparing another scoop and putting it up to Michael's mouth. He raised his eyebrows, then opened his mouth to eat the ice cream.   
  
"Yeah, that's pretty good," he said, with his mouth full. Suddenly Syd started laughing hysterically.   
  
"What? What so funny?" Michael asked in between laughs.   
  
"It's nothing," Syd said, collecting herself once more.   
  
"Okay, it's definately not nothing. Now you have to tell me."   
  
"It's just...that thing you do with your eyebrow. I think you're the only guy I have ever met that has mastered that raising one eyebrow thing. It's shocking!" Syd responded, breaking out into another fit of giggles.   
  
"What?!" Michael asked confused smiling at this new side of Sydney he was seeing. Sydney took a deep breath then tried to talk again.   
  
"This thing," she said, placing both hands on his face. Michael flinched, and Syd immediately pulled her hands back.   
  
"I'm sorry, my hands must be freezing," She said, smiling.   
  
"Yeah, just a little," Michael responded, placing her hands in the crook of his neck. "But I think I can rough it out."   
  
Syd's giddiness quickly died down, as she was overcome with desire. She let her hands wrap around his neck. She rested her forehead on his and closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. Michael kept his eyes fixed on Sydney's face, waiting for her to speak.   
  
"This is crazy, Michael."   
  
Michael was immediately disappointed by her choice of words, and she could tell. She quickly spoke once again, to clear up any misunderstandings.   
  
"No, I love this. I mean...it's just that...How are we going to get this to work? We can't go back to the way things were. After today...everything's different."   
  
Michael breathed deeply and rested his hand on the side of her face.   
  
"We'll find a way. But not now, because I think the ice cream is spilling..."   
  
Sydney immediately looked down and jumped off the bed.   
  
"Sh-t!" She exclaimed as she picked up the ice cream carton that was leaking all over the towel she placed over her bed. Michael got off the bed and picked up the chocolate sauce and whipped cream, and placed it on Sydney's dresser.   
  
"You know, I would have gotten something less sticky and more like regular food, but to tell you the truth, we don't have anything else." Syd explained as she whipped the towel off and threw it into her hamper, then picked up the ice cream and headed towards the kitchen.   
  
"It's alright," Michael said, catching her by the waist as she turned around after throwing out the ice cream. "I'm not that hungry anyway..." he trailed off as he leaned in to kiss Syd. Before they both knew it, Michael was lifting Syd up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist without even breaking the kiss. They stumbled around the hallway for a moment, then Syd broke the kiss and laughed as she ran her hands through Michael's hair. Michael looked up in amazement at her.   
  
"Let's take this one step at a time," Syd said, unable to hold back the giggles. She turned around quickly to figure out where she was. "Okay, turn around..."   
  
Michael loved seeing Sydney like this. It was like the rest of the world ceased to exist and it was just them. Sydney and Michael. In desperate need to get to the bedroom. Michael turned around slowly, waiting for Syd's next direction.   
  
"Stop!" She said quickly, then turned back to his face, "now it's straight ahead," she said smiling as she leaned down to kiss him once again. Sydney could feel him smiling through the kiss and realized this was the best decision she had ever made in her life. Regardless of what happened afterwards, she'd always remember this moment. She felt like she was in college again, before she entered the world of espionage. When life was carefree and fun, and all she had to worry about was making sure her roommate didn't walk in on her and her boyfriend.   
  
Michael kept one hand on Syd's waist, as he used the other hand to guide him through her bed room door. He kept feeling around until he reached the bed. He slowly ended their kiss and placed Syd on the bed. She smiled up at him brightly and motioned for him to follow.   
  
"You do realize how beautiful you are, right?" He asked as he stood and marvelled at the forbidden fruit that he was about to take a bite of.   
  
Sydney blushed shyly and sat up so she could reach Michael's sweatshirt. She sat on her knees as she pulled the sweatshirt over his head. She smiled devilishly as she reached for his T-shirt underneath. She slowly lifted it up, and began to kiss the area around his navel. She stopped suddenly, and looked up at him as she lifted the t-shirt completely over his head. She was now standing on her knees, on the bed, as she let her hands run over the front of Michael's chest. Michael swiftly pulled her tanktop over her head and threw it on the floor beside the bed.   
  
As their lips met once again and Sydney pulled Michael down onto the bed, something inside Michael told him to stop. He quickly pulled away.   
  
"Syd, are you sure you really want to do this?" He asked laying on his back beside her. Syd leaned on her shoulder and put her hand on the side of his face, turning it towards her.   
  
"Yes," she said adamantly, and she leaned in for another kiss. Not before long, Michael pulled away again. As if she suddenly had a realization, Sydney's eyes started to well up. She covered her mouth with her hand and sat up, reaching for her shirt. "Oh, I undestand..."   
  
Michael sat up and grabbed her hand as she reached for her shirt on the floor.   
  
"No, Syd, it's not that I don't want to. God knows I want this more than anything in the world. But...I don't know. I just don't want it like this. I want our first time to be something special. Not that this wouldn't be special...I just have something different in mind. You understand, don't you?"   
  
Sydney sat in silence for a moment, with Michael eagerly awaiting her response. Syd reached down for her shirt and pulled it over her head, seriously. She then reached down again for Michael's shirt and threw it at him.   
  
"Syd?"  
  
Sydney turned to face Michael with a huge smile on her face.  
  
"You are seriously one of a kind, Michael Vaughn, one of a kind." She said rolling her eyes as she layed on her back. "What guy turns down that kind of offer?"   
  
"I'm crazy, I know," Michael said as he layed down beside her.   
  
"No," Syd said, turning on her side, "You're sweet."   
  
Michael rolled his eyes as he sat up. "Yeah, sure."   
  
"Well, I guess I should get out of here before it gets too late..." Michael said, starting to stand up. Sydney quickly grabbed his arm, not wanting him to leave.   
  
"No, just stay. We can talk. How often do we get to just talk about completely unimportant things?"   
  
Michael smiled and sat back down on bed.   
  
"What kind of completely unimportant things?" He asked, curious as to what Sydney had in mind.   
  
"I don't know. That doesn't matter." Syd said, reaching for the remote on the side of the bed. She sat next to Michael and leaned against the headboard as she flipped the tv on. Michael placed his arm around her shoulders, as she rested her head in the crook of his neck.   
  
"Sounds good to me."   
  
Sydney flipped the TV to NBC where Leno was just starting.   
  
"You up for a lame repeat of Leno?" She asked, looking up at Michael.   
  
"You know what? I've actually never been one much for Leno. I don't see how anyone can find him funny. I guess I'm kind of bitter since I was practically born and bred on Letterman."   
  
"Really?" Syd asked, suprised, but happy. "I've always preferred Dave too."   
  
"Yeah, nothing beats Pat and Kenny reading Oprah transcripts," Michael said, laughing at the thought.   
  
"What about Biff? And 'Is This Anything'?" Syd added in.  
  
"Not to mention The Top Ten. Yeah, they may be pretty lame now, but they'll always have a soft spot in my heart," Michael said, dramatically placing a hand on his heart.   
  
"Geez, no need to get emotional," Syd said jokingly.   
  
"Ha ha. Real funny. I guess we'll just have to settle with Leno then, huh?"   
  
"Yup. I think he's having Hugh Grant and Jennifer Lopez. It'll actually be pretty good." Syd said, actually pretty impressed with the guests Leno had.   
  
"Don't tell me you're a J Lo fan. Please, God, no."   
  
"First of all, no, I'm not much of a fan. And second of all, what would be the problem if I did?" Syd asked. "I thought all guys found J Lo to be the hottest of the hot."   
  
"Let's just say I haven't been fooled by the rocks that she's got, but she's not, she's not Jenny from the block." Michael said, shaking his head in disdain. Syd started laughing hysterically.   
  
"Have you practiced that?" She asked, in between laughs.   
  
"Maybe a little..." Michael joked, rolling his eyes. "No, it's just that she acts like she's so down to earth and she's the same girl from Brooklyn that she was ten years ago, when we all know that she pays thousands of dollars for people to control every aspect of her life. She has a freakin' empire for godssake."   
  
"Someone watched 'The Fabulous Life of Jennifer Lopez' on VH1..." Sydney joked, jabbing Michael in the stomache.   
  
"Actually, I didn't but Jules told me all about it. I don't have anything against her...She's a very talented woman. I just personally don't see what her appeal is. Although she does put the _A_ in _T'n'A_." Sydney covered her mouth once again.   
  
"Yeah, you definately practiced _that_ one..."   
  
"No, I'm just that _down with it_..."   
  
"Please, for the love of God, STOP!" Sydney said inbetween laughs. Michael broke out into a fit of laughter. "Yeah, I've defniately been scarred by seeing you like that."   
  
~~~  
  
"Favorite TV show?" Sydney asked as she watched Jay interview people during his 'Jay Walking' segment.   
  
"Definately gotta say Everybody Loves Raymond. Without a doubt."  
  
"Yeah, that show is hysterical...Seriously, every person on it is funny." Syd said, smiling as she thought of the show.   
  
"I know! Robert might just be my favorite character. Either him or the father. They are both hysterical."   
  
"And Marie! You gotta love Marie."   
  
"I don't know, I always found her to be a little annoying. But the whole cast really compliments each other, so I guess she's alright." Michael added. "What about you? What's your favorite show? And don't say Friends because that's a given."   
  
"But it is!" Syd responded, laughing. "One word: Ross."   
  
"I definately agree with you there, but seriously, _everyone_ loves Friends. You gotta come up with something better than that." Michael said, turning to face Sydney.   
  
"Well, then I'd have to say..." Syd trailed off, thinking of what her favorite show was. "It's a tie. Ed and Scrubs."   
  
"Ed is hysterical. Phil Stubbs is seriously the man. And Ed seriously looks exactly like that guy on Scrubs. They could seriously be brothers."   
  
"Yeah! That episode of Scrubs where Tom Cavanaugh played JD's brother was hysterical." Syd added.  
  
"I don't know about Scrubs though. JD definately gets on my nerves." Michael responded.   
  
"How can JD possibly get on your nerves?!" Syd asked incredulously. "JD is _hilarious_! Not to mention adorable and the sweetest guy ever." Michael rolled his eyes.   
  
"He looks a tad freakish to me...But to each his own." Michael replied, shrugging.   
  
"What about first date?" Syd asked, out of the blue.   
  
"What??" Michael responded, thrown off by Syd's random question.   
  
"Tell me about your first date!"   
  
"Well, umm..." Michael started, embarassed.   
  
"Aw, don't be shy...I'll tell you all about mine..."   
  
"Okay, fine." Michael said, finally giving in.   
  
"Alright...Well, you know how I moved here when I was sixteen?" Sydney nodded, recalling their conversation at the restaurant a few days before. "Well, when I was back in France, I had this crazy fascination with American girls. I refused to go on a date with anyone until I came to America. So, when I moved here I immediately tried to get some girls to go out with me. So, one day, I decided that I'd just go up to Mandy Friedman and ask her to go out with me. I thought, what the hell, if she says no, she says no. Lucky for me, she agreed. So we went to see some movie -- I forget what. But we go there and have a really great time...I come out, holding her hand, ecstatic that this American girl really liked me. We come out of the theater and guess who's waiting outside for us?"   
  
"It wasn't her boyfriend, was it?" Syd asked shocked.   
  
"How did you know?!" Michael responded blown away that Syd would be able to figure that out.   
  
"I don't know...It just seemed obvious." Syd said, smiling.   
  
"Well, yeah. It was her boyfriend. Apparently she'd been going out with this guy for the past few months, but I had no clue since I just moved there. So he comes up to me, and punches me right in the face. I had a black eye for like a week."  
  
"Are you kidding?!" Syd exclaimed, laughing. "What did you do?"   
  
"Fought back, of course." Michael responded matter of factly. "I may have been skinny but I was one tough kid. At that time, I was going into my seventh year playing hockey, but this guy didn't know that. I kicked that guys ass. Seriously, it was great. And I don't mean to endorse violence here, but man, that was so worth it."   
  
"How so?" Syd asked, clearly amused.   
  
"Well my reputation as the scrawny little French boy who even the chess team could beat up was officially gone. Not to mention the fact that practically every girl in the school wanted to go out with me after that."   
  
Sydney laughed at Michael's typical guy response.   
  
"It always comes down to the ladies, doesn't it?" Sydney asked, shaking her head.   
  
"Of course," Michael replied, smiling broadly. "What about you? What was your first date like?"   
  
"Well, it wasn't half as exciting as your's was. It was just your typical first date. I went out with Tommy Sanders, who I thought was the cutest guy on the face of the Earth, but looking back, was just a pretty sad Billy Idol imitation."   
  
"Billy Idol?! You were into Billy Idol?!"   
  
Sydney scratched her head, embarassed.   
  
"I don't know what was with me...I was a strange child. I latched on to all the latest 'trends' before I really got really into the college and indie rock scene. Like U2 and REM and The Smiths..."   
  
"Thank God, I was beginning to get a little worried there..." Michael said, jokingly.   
  
"The eighties were a scary time. As much as I love them, and still kinda do, I wouldn't relive them for my life."   
  
"Gotta agree with you on that one." Michael said, laughing.   
  
"Did you play sports in high school?" Sydney asked, changing the subject.   
  
"Do you mean for like school teams?"   
  
"Yeah...I don't know why, but I see you as a Varsity Baseball kinda guy." Syd said, smiling as she pictured a young Michael in the tight pants and high socks.   
  
"Seriously, that spy sense of yours is starting to really freak me out." Michael said, genuinely suprised. "I actually did play baseball. I pitched and played first. And I really was pretty good...I was working to get some sort of scholarship to college but that just didn't pan out. I didn't play any other sports, because I also had hockey taking up my time outside of school."   
  
"Wow, I haven't been on the ice in the longest time..." Syd said, nostalgically.   
  
"Really? I'm always down at the rink on the edge of town...By St. Pauls Street. That place is great. We should really go down there sometime." The smile quickly faded from Sydney's face and she turned to Michael, shaking her head sadly.   
  
"I don't think so," Sydney said, making eye contact with Michael. He squeezed her softly, to show that it would be alright.   
  
"Hey, we're here right now, aren't we?" He asked, rhetorically. "Anything's possible."   
  
Sydney nodded her head in agreement, and silently placed it back in the crook of Michael's neck.   
  
~~~  
  
"Favorite Christmas Memory?" Syd asked after she yawned.   
  
"I'd say this one ranks pretty high up there." Michael said, letting his head rest on top of hers.   
  
"Yeah, I definately agree," Syd responded tiredly, as she reached for the remote and turned the TV off.   
  
"Wow, is it really 3:15?"   
  
"Yeah," Syd said, yawning once again.   
  
"Where did the time go?"   
  
"I really don't know..." Syd answered, looping her arms in Michael's and burying her face in his shoulder.   
  
"I think it's time for you to go to bed..." He said, freeing his arm from her grip, and sliding her down onto the bed.   
  
"Mmphmm..." Syd gave out a muffled agreement as Michael pulled her covers up around her. He turned around to turn off the light, then turned back to Sydney to kiss her goodnight before he was going to leave.   
  
"Goodnight, Syd," he whispered, kissing her hair. He was almost completely sure she was asleep as he moved toward the edge of the bed, but suddenly her hand came out and grabbed his elbow.   
  
"Don't go..." She said, almost completely asleep.   
  
"Syd..."   
  
"Please," she responded, opening her eyes slightly, then patting on the bed beside her. "Just for tonight." Michael looked at her, unsure as to what he should do.   
  
_You know you want to stay..._ He told himself, over and over again.   
  
He looked down at his shoes, then back up at Sydney's tired but pleading eyes.   
  
"Alright," he said, as he pulled the covers up and slid beneath them. Syd smiled as she closed her eyes and snuggled toward Michael.   
  
"Goodnight, Michael," She said, leaning against his shoulder.   
  
"'Night Syd," Michael said, breathing in the scent of Sydney's shampoo.   
  
_Three o'clock in the morning   
It's quiet, there's no one around,   
Just the bang and the clatter   
As an angel hits the ground._  
  
**END CHAPTER NINE**   



	10. We Are One Inside These Walls, Undercove...

****

Chapter Ten - We Are One Inside These Walls, Undercover  
  
_And you held and you tried  
I could never find another  
If you walk me to the car park  
I won't go  
And we held and we tried  
There was heart and lust between us  
I will love you  
I won't let go  
  
"Undercover," Pete Yorn_  
  
As Michael's eyes slowly opened and adjusted to his surroundings, Sydney's sleeping form came into focus. He smiled as he felt her sigh and shake her head in her sleep. His smile quickly faded as she began to shake her head more violently and sob heavily.   
  
"Sydney," he whispered in a soft, concerned tone as he turned her over so he could face her. "Sweetie, it's alright," he cupped her face in his hands, praying that she'd wake up from whatever torture was plaguing her dreams.  
  
Suddenly, her eyes flew open and she drew a deep breath. The tears were flowing freely as she wrapped her arms tightly around Michael.   
  
"Hey, it's alright, it was just a dream," Michael soothed as he stroked her hair reassuringly.  
  
"It was horrible," Sydney mumbled into his shoulder, hicupping slightly. "You--"  
  
"It was just a dream, don't worry about it," Michael replied, lifting her head, then proceeding to wipe the tears away from her tear streaked face with his thumb.   
  
"But you--" Sydney stopped in midsentence, struck by the look on Michael's face. Instead of continuting, she simply put her hands on his face and kissed him deeply. She felt his hands in her hair and knew it immediately.  
  
**_This_** is real. This right here? **No one** can take this away from me. No one.   
  
"Promise me you'll never leave me. Ever." She demanded, completely out of breath as she rested her forehead on his.   
  
"I promise," he replied in a heartbeat, with his eyes closed and his voice still out of breath. He slowly opened his eyes and let his thumb graze over her cheek. "I promise," he reaffirmed once more, this time more convincing.   
  
She kissed him once more before she laid down and let his strong arms envelop her. As she felt him kiss her hair a pang of guilt struck her. The last way she wanted to end their wonderful night together was by going all schitzo on him.   
  
It has been months since Taipei but for some reason those dreams still haunted her. They went away for awhile, but came back that night she met Michael at the restaurant. They were just so painfully vivid -- the thump of his limp body against the cold steel door, crushed by the power of that "water." In her dream, she opens the door. The water flows out, and she stares with horror at Michael's lifeless body. She comes to him and there's blood gushing out of his fingertips. He reaches up and squeezes her face, leaving it streaked with his blood. And he speaks, barely audible: "How could you do this to me? I thought you loved me..."   
  
Syd shook her mind of the memory, and told herself over and over again that it was just a dream. It wasn't a sign, it wasn't a prophecy, it wasn't anything but a dream...  
  
"I'm sorry," she said, rubbing her face tiredly.   
  
"It's no big deal, really," he responds, shaking his head. "It's actually nice to be able to be here for you, you know?"   
  
She turns to face him once again and smiles. Nodding her head slowly, she agrees.   
  
"Hey, what time is it?" He asks, suddenly worried.   
  
"Um," Syd reached over her bed and picked up the alarm clock, "nine. Why?"   
  
"Oh crap," he replies, jolting up from the bed and frantically putting his shoes on.   
  
"What's wrong?" Syd asked, worried about Michael's peculiar behavior.   
  
"Oh, it's nothing important, it's just that Jules is going to be worried about me if I'm not there before she wakes up. I know she's the one that encouraged me to...take this step, but she's still worried about the safety of it all. And she's right. I don't want to risk your cover."   
  
Syd smiled and wrapped her arms around Michael's shoulders from behind him.   
  
"Remind me to thank Jules for that again," she breathed into his ear before kissing his his cheek. Michael pushed her off as he reached down for his sweatshirt.   
  
"As much as I'd like some of _that_, I know that I have absolutely no will power when it comes to you, so I have to get myself out of here or else I'll never leave."   
  
"I wouldn't have a problem with that..."   
  
"I'm sure you wouldn't," Michael laughed, making his way to the window, Sydney right behind him.   
  
"Be careful, okay?"  
  
"Always," Michael replied as he opened the window and stepped out of it. He faced Syd to give her one last kiss before they said goodbye.   
  
"And tell Jules I said 'hey'," she said as they pulled apart.   
  
"Sure thing."   
  
~~~  
  
[Outside Syd's Apartment]   
  
Jack quickly shook himself from his sleep.   
  
_Nine o'clock.   
  
It's Nine AM and there's still no sign of Agent Vaughn.   
  
I'm going to kill him, I swear I'm going to kill him._  
  
All of a sudden, Jack noticed the window in Syd's room open. The same window he witnessed Agent Vaughn come in through last night.   
  
_Little does he know that his life as he knows it will be over by the time he gets to his car..._   
  
He watched as Vaughn turned back around to face the window. A hand rested on his face, Sydney's, Jack presumed.   
  
_And now a face is on his face.   
  
Sydney's, I presume._   
  
Deciding he had seen enough, Jack started up his car, and drove to the parking lot a few blocks away where he knew Vaughn must have parked. And he was right.   
  
There it was, his little black Civic.   
  
Jack had to fight the urge to slash all four of his tires and completely smash the car up.   
  
_It would serve him right. He should know better than to get emotionally involved with Sydney. When you've come this far, and gone through so much, you have to reach a point where you just put all emotions aside. You numb yourself because that's the only way you can make it out of this buisness alive. Once you slip up once, you're dead.   
  
They seem to have forgotten that.   
  
Oh, here comes Mr. Vaughn. What a coincidence! I guess I should personally remind him of his complete and utter stupidity._  
  
Jack jumped out of the car and cut Vaughn off.   
  
"Jack?! Wh--wh--what are you doing here?"   
  
_He's stuttering. First sign of infidelity. And fear. I have the upper hand. But what else is new?_  
  
"Hello, Mr. Vaughn," Jack started in his subzero tone. "I saw you making your way to your car here and I thought I should stop by and inform you of something."   
  
"Oh, um, okay," Vaughn replied uneasily as he pulled his keys out of his pocket and leaned against the back of his car. "Shoot."   
  
_Don't tempt me, Agent Vaughn._  
  
"Do you know what you're getting yourself into, Mr. Vaughn?" Jack asked, letting his anger seep through his words.   
  
"I don't know what you're talking about, Jack."   
  
Much to Vaughn's suprise, Jack grabbed Vaughn by the shirt and pushed him up against his car.   
  
_Hmm, how did his shirt get in my hands? I have absolutely no idea. But now that it's here, I might as well take advantage of it and scare the sh-t out of this boy and make sure that he never lays a finger on my daughter again._  
  
"I think you do, Mr. Vaughn. I don't want you going near my daughter ever again. I don't want you talking to her, I don't want you touching her, sneaking off to spend the night with her, or even advising her for that matter. You clearly care more about your own sexual desires than her own safety and that most definitely does not make you acceptable handler material. I'm going to call Devlin right now to get you reassigned unless you give me one good reason."   
  
Vaughn was in compete disbelief.   
  
_What the Hell is going on here?_ He thought in shock.   
  
He quickly shook away his suprise, and pushed Jack off of him violently.   
  
"What the Hell do you think you're doing?!" Vaughn demanded angrily.   
  
"Well, Mr. Vaughn, I'd like to ask you the same thing." Jack retorted.   
  
"How dare you say that I care more about my own sexual desires than Sydney's wellfare?! If there was one thing in this world that I would sacrifice my own life for, it's Sydney. I would never _ever_ do anything to comprise her cover or her life. And I know damn well that you know that. With that said, I have no idea why you're suddenly so interested in Sydney's life. You've never cared before, why now?"  
  
"Because you are putting her life in jeopardy by carrying out these secret midnight rendezvous."   
  
"Were you spying on your daughter, _Agent Bristow_?"  
  
"No. Well yes, but only because she asked me to. And it's none of your damn buisness _Agent Vaughn_."   
  
"No, sir, I actually think it is. I'm sorry to inform you of this, but anything relating to Sydney _is_ my buisness."   
  
"Why can't you both see how incredibly stupid this is? How much danger it puts you both in? The CIA can't afford to lose two of it's best because of some childish romance."   
  
"Why can't you see how lonely and depressed and angry your daughter is? Jack, she's lived a life that no one should ever have to deal with. And it has left her bitter and alone. But you should see her face when we're together, it's like the world doesn't exist and it's just us. I've never seen her so happy the whole time I've known her."   
  
"Cut the crap, Vaughn. Happiness has no place in the life we live. You both need to get that through your heads or you're going to get yourselves killed."   
  
Vaughn just shook his head sadly.   
  
"That's where you're wrong, Jack. It does have a place in our lives. Yeah, it might be hard, but we are willing to do it. Not just me, but Sydney also. Sydney wants this more than anything. And I'm willing to do everything in my power to give her atleast a taste of the life she really wants. And if you loved her too, you'd do the same."   
  
_He loves my daughter?_  
  
_I love her. I **love** her?!_   
  
Jack simply stood in silence stunned by Vaughn's words.   
  
~~~  
  
"Michael Christopher Vaughn, where the Hell have you been?"   
  
Jules was standing in the living room staring at her watch as Michael walked through the door.   
  
"Sorry, _Mom_," Michael joked.   
  
"Seriously, Mike, where have you been? I've been worried sick. I thought you were going to get out of there while it was still dark, so it would be safer. I've been waiting for the last three hours, scared to death about what might have happened to you."   
  
"Well, I'm here so there's no need to worry," Michael replied, walking over to his fridge tiredly. After his enounter with Jack, he decided to take a walk to clear his mind. Yeah, that definitely didn't work.   
  
"What happened? Why were you out so late? And if it involves a little three letter word starting with an s and ending with an x feel free to plead the fifth."   
  
"No, it wasn't that," Michael answered softly, "we just talked, and fell asleep. No big deal."   
  
"Oh," Jules said, breathing a sigh of relief.   
  
"But I did run into someone on the way to my car..."   
  
"What?! WHO?"   
  
"Jack Bristow." Michael responded as he sat on a stool and poured himself some cereal.   
  
"Jack Bristow as in Sydney's crazy ass dad? What did he say?"   
  
"I don't know. That man just has no heart. I swear, he has a lump of coal in there. How can someone not even care about the happiness of their daughter. I know he trusts me so that's obviously not the reason why he was so pissed."  
  
"WHAT DID HE SAY?!"   
  
"Geez, cool your jets."   
  
"Mike, _no one_ says that anymore."   
  
"Well I do. In fact I just did. And I will again. Cool your jets."  
  
"Enough with the cooling of the jets! What did that uber-creepy man say?!"   
  
"He wants to reassign me, but I know he won't. He basically accused me of using Sydney just to 'satisfy my sexual desires' as he put it. It's like he's blind to the fact that his own daughter hates her life. She completely and absolutely hates her life. But when she's with me it's like...I don't know what it's like but I definately don't see hatred and anger and fear in her eyes. It's like she's a little girl again."   
  
Jules just sat staring in wonder at her older brother.   
  
"Man, you've seriously got it bad."   
  
Michael just sighed.   
  
"I know."   
  
"Hey! That's a huge step! Never have you been able to admit it, but now you have! Way to go, bro!" Jules said, raising her hand so Michael would give her a high five.   
  
"Jules, how am I going to make this work?"   
  
"Mikey, nothing is impossible. It may seem like it, but when things are meant to be, they're meant to be. You'll find a way to make it work. Trust me."   
  
"Yeah..."   
  
All of a sudden, Jules's cell phone started ringing and she ran to grab it.   
  
"Hello?"   
  
"Hey, Jules? This is Will Tippin, Sydney's friend."   
  
"Oh, hey Will!" Jules exclaimed from the doorway of her brother's room. Michael's eyes immediately shot up in suspicion, and Jules smiled and waved at her brother as she closed the door.   
  
"What's up?"   
  
"Well, um, I was actually, um..."   
  
_Is he stuttering over me?! I've officially made a man stutter! SCORE!_   
  
Jules laughed, prompting Will to laugh in response.   
  
"You know what? This is really pathetic. I'm sorry, let me start all over again. Hey, Jules. This is Will. How are you?"   
  
"I'm great, Will, whats up?" Jules replied with a huge grin on her face.   
  
"I was wondering if...uh...you'd want to do something tonight...or something...Unless of course you're doing something else or you don't have the time or something, because I'd totally understand. I mean, I have only met you once, and it _was_ only for like forty five mintues and--"   
  
"I'd love to." Jules said, inbetween laughs as she cut Will off.   
  
"You'd what?"   
  
"I'd love to. What time should I be ready?"   
  
"Um, does seven sound good to you?"  
  
"It sounds great," Jules replied, letting her phone rest in the crook of her neck as she began to fish through her clothes. "Is casual good?"   
  
"Yeah, casual's great." Jules could feel Will smiling through the phone. "So I'll pick you up at seven at you're place."   
  
"Sound's great."   
  
"See ya then,"   
  
"Yeah, see ya then. Bye Will."   
  
"Bye, Jules."   
  
Jules couldn't stop herself from jumping up and down. She'd been on dates before, but something about this one just seemed different. Okay, maybe the fact that she hadn't been on one in a month or so since she had that episode with the the freak from Radiology had something to do with her excitement...  
  
_This is going to be nice._   
  
Jules opened up the door to her roomm, and ran right into Michael.   
  
"Ow! What the Hell are you doing?!" Jules screamed, pushing her brother.   
  
"Nothing!"   
  
"Yeah, sure..." Jules rolled her eyes.   
  
"So you're going out with _Will_ tonight?" Michael asked suspiciously.   
  
"So, you're gonna secretly meet with _Sydney_ tonight? Do a little dance, perhaps? Make a little love? Get down?"   
  
"Jules, you're so incredibly pathetic."   
  
"What? I'm excited!"   
  
"Yeah, because you're a loser who hasn't been out since the ice ages."   
  
"Only because you scare the sh-t out of every guy that wants to date me."   
  
"Damn straight. And I plan on retaining that title."   
  
"Like Hell."   
  
Jules laughed as she made her way into the bathroom.   
  
_Yeah, this definitely is going to be fun._  
  
~~~  
  
[Later that Night...]  
  
"Mike! Get the door! I'm not ready yet!"   
  
"Are you sure?" Michael replied with a grin.   
  
"Yes, for the love of God, yes!"   
  
_It's definitely more than fun to watch Jules run around like a frantic lunatic. And now I get to tear Will apart! Excellent!_  
  
Michael made his way to the door and opened it.   
  
"Hey," Michael said, greeting Will with a handshake.   
  
"Hey, man, how've you been?" Will asked as he walked the door. Michael closed the door, not realizing that there was someone coming in behind Will.   
  
"Hey, watch it!" A woman's voice called out from behind the door. Michael looked confused as he opened the door again.   
  
"Syd? What are you doing here?" Michael asked, pulling Sydney into his apartment.   
  
"Nice to see you, too," Sydney joked as she made her way towards the kitchen. Before Michael could respond, Will spoke up.   
  
"So, is Jules ready?"   
  
"Oh yeah, she's not ready yet. But that reminds me," Michael said, making his way towards Will who was standing behind the couch. Sydney sat up on the counter, eager to see their little confrontation. "Jules is my younger sister and I care very much about her. And if you do anything, and I mean _anything_ to hurt her in any way, you're going to be sorry."   
  
Syd made a face to Will as she sat amused on the countertop. She couldn't help but get a kick out of how intimidated Will got by Michael. Michael could be a bad ass when he really wanted to.   
  
_Aw, look how protective he is of his younger sister! How cute._  
  
"Don't worry, man, I understand. I have a younger sister too, and I'm the same way about guys that she goes out with," Will replied.   
  
"Sorry for being like that, but, like you said, you know how it is. I have to run through that test with anyone I know she's going out with. The good thing about you, though, is that you know full well what my capabilities are, and if you do just happen to hurt her, I will hunt you down like there's no tomorrow."   
  
A fearful silence filled the room before Will started laughing.   
  
"That's a good one, man, you're pretty funny, you know that?" He said, inbetween laughs as he knocked Michael's arm. Michael simply raised his eyebrow sternly.   
  
"Oh..." Will replied as the silence overtook the room once more. This time, Sydney was the one to break the silence.   
  
"Don't worry, Will, I'll protect you." She choked, clutching her sides for dear life as the room filled with her laughter. Soon everyone was laughing and Will was pretty sure the ice had been broken.   
  
Suddenly, Jules popped out of Michael's room wearing a pair of jeans and a red sweater.   
  
"What's so funny?" Jules asked as she walked to the coat racked and picked her's up.   
  
"Nothing," Sydney said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Your brother verbally raped Will, that's all. And it was pretty funny."   
  
"Mike, what's your problem?!" Jules asked, walking over to her brother and smacking him upside the head.   
  
"Ow!" He yelped, clutching the back of his head. "That hurt!"   
  
"Well I think you got off pretty well for fifteen years of torture."   
  
"I wouldn't exactly call it--"   
  
"So, Will, you ready to hit the road?" Jules asked, walking up to Will.   
  
"Yeah, definitely," Will replied, taking Jules hand and leading her out the apartment.   
  
"You two have fun now," Sydney called out from the kitchen.   
  
"But not _too_ much fun," Michael yelled from the doorway.   
  
"Right back at ya big bro," Jules called from the hall, "I don't want to be unpleasantly suprised when I come home, if you know what I mean."   
  
Michael rolled his eyes as he closed the door, then turned to Sydney.   
  
"So, what did I do to deserve such a wonderful suprise?" He asked, walking up to Sydney and resting his hands at the base of her hips on the counter.   
  
"Nothing, I just missed you," she replied, letting her hands explore the sides of his face and his neck.   
  
"You checked for tails? Everything's safe?" He asked with a smile.   
  
_I don't know how this ever got to be so normal. We spend one day together and suddenly were like this. Spending time at each other's places...talking about absolutely nothing and just enjoying each other's presence. And bodies for that matter. Which leads me once more to the question: How did this happen again?_  
  
"Of course," she answered as she tossed her hair to one side and looked toward the couch. "And see that hat and those glasses over there?" Michael turned around to see a fairly large bucket hat and dark sunglasses. "If anyone saw me, which they didn't, they wouldn't have been able to recognize me anyway."   
  
Michael laughed and shook his head at her antics.  
  
"When did this become such a Hollywood illicit affair?" He asked before he started to kiss her neck.   
  
"Ever since you snuck out of my window this morning, which was perfect timing actually, because Francie walked in literally the second I closed the window." Sydney could feel him smile against his neck before he lifted his head up.   
  
"I'm glad. Hey, what about Francie? Where's she tonight?"   
  
"Now that you mention it...I don't know. She said something about her family going up to Sacremento for the rest of the week...But my mind was a little too preoccupied to care." Sydney replied as she kissed his neck, returning the favor. Michael laughed, as he arched his neck, giving Sydney direct access to what she really was looking for.   
  
"How did we turn into two hormonal teenagers?" Michael asked, lifting Sydney's head from his neck.  
  
"Well, I could go through all the details...the desires, the tension, the late night meetings in dark warehouses, calls to Joey's Pizza..."  
  
"Or...?"  
  
"Or you could just sit back and enjoy the ride," she replied with a grin as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Sydney squealed with suprise as Michael pulled her off the counter, leaving her holding onto his neck for dear life.   
  
"I think I'll go with the second one," Michael replied as he lifted Syd in his arms and walked her to the couch.   
  
"Good," she said as he dropped her onto the couch, "I was never one much for talking." Syd sat up on her knees as she clutched Michael's shirt pulling him in for a kiss. She slowly pulled him down on top of her on the couch.  
  
"Yes, Ma'am."   
  
~~~  
  
"So where are we going?" Jules asked excitedly as Will parked the car.   
  
"Well, I was thinking we could hit the carnival. I have this uncanny ability to win pretty girls gigantic teddy bears. And from what I hear, a big teddy bear is the key to a girl's heart."   
  
"All I have to say is that you're source is excellent. Carnivals are like my favorite places ever! They remind me of when I was younger and I used to go to one back in France with Mike...They just won me over. I haven't been to one's as good as the one's the French have, but a carnival is a carnival!"   
  
"Awesome. I was pretty sure you'd like it," Will laughed as they got out of the car.   
  
"And why is that?" Jules flirted back.   
  
"You know what? I really have no idea. You just came off as the kind of girl would go for a carnival first date."   
  
"Well you had me pegged, Mr. Tippin, you had me pegged." Jules couldn't hide her enthusiasm at all. And when she really thought about it, there was no need to. She just had to sit back and relax as she let Will lead the way.   
  
~~~  
  
"Hey, you wanna take this show on the road?" Sydney asked as she pulled away, and sat up on the couch.   
  
"Well, as inticing as that sounds, I seriously think that would not only comprise your cover, but also your integrity," Michael joked.   
  
Syd laughed and pushed him playfully.   
  
"I didn't mean it like that you dirty boy!"   
  
"How was I supposed to know?" He laughed burying his head in her neck once again.   
  
"You were so right. How _did_ we become such horny teenagers?" She asked, running her hands through his hair.   
  
"Well I could go through the details...the desires, the tensions, the late night meetings, breaking into the Vatican together..."   
  
"Or...?"   
  
"Or you could just sit back and enjoy the ride," Michael grinned wickedly as he repeated Syd's earlier words. She laughed as she pulled Michael's head upward.   
  
"What I meant was...Let's get out of here. As much as I love your place, you and I both know that we don't want anyone to..._interrupt_ us, if you know what I mean."   
  
Michael quickly became serious, as he got up and began to pace around the room.   
  
"Syd, I'm not so sure how safe that'll really--"  
  
"You know what, never mind," she said, walking towards the kitchen. "Forget about it. Let's just eat something and enjoy the night."   
  
"Sydney, are you upset?"   
  
"No! No, no, no, no. I completely understand." Sydney replied, wrapping her arms around him once again and kissing the tip of his nose. "I completely trust your opinion. If you don't think it's safe, we won't do it."   
  
Michael could tell she was disappointed. And he had to admit, he was too. He did want to wait for a time when everything would be absolutely perfect...  
  
_God, Mike, when will you ever learn? Our lives will never be perfect. You just have to grab the opportunity when it comes because you never know what might happen..._   
  
"No, we will." Michael said, picking up Syd once again.   
  
"What? Are you sure? You're right, getting over there will be too dangerous and it'll be best just not to go..."   
  
"Who said we had to go to your place?" Vaughn asked walking towards his room.   
  
"What about waiting for the special time?" She asked, looking forward towards the room then back at Michael.   
  
"Now seems pretty special to me."   
  
"What about Jules?"   
  
"She'll stay on the couch."   
  
"What about us, Michael? What will happen to us?" Syd asked, seriously, holding his eye contact as they walked through the doorway into his room. Michael closed the door with his foot, then turned his head back towards Syd.   
  
"I love you, Syd. And I have ever since you walked into my office almost two years ago. I have watched you hurt, I have watched you cry, I have watched you find comfort in the arms of other men, I have watched you save your friends lives...save _my_ life, risking your's all the while. I won't have to watch anymore. We are in this together and there's nothing to fear anymore. Because you're with me, and that's all I need."   
  
Michael watched the tears silently fall from Syd's eyes, and everything seemed to happen in slow motion. She reached up and pulled him into the longest kiss he's ever been a part of...ever. She pulled away, out of breath, and sniffled. Wiping her eyes, she rested her forehead on his.   
  
"I love you, too." She whispered. "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. For all the pain--"   
  
Michael quieted her with a kiss, as he slowly walked them towards the bed.   
  
**END CHAPTER TEN**


	11. Swing, Swing

****

Chapter Eleven - Swing, Swing  
  
_Swing, swing, swing from the tangles of  
My heart is crushed by a former love  
Can you help me find a way  
To carry on again?  
  
"Swing Swing," The All-American Rejects_  
  
"You do realize that the guy's supposed to win the giant stuffed animal for the girl, not vice versa." Will joked as Jules pointed excitedly to the large giraffe hanging on the roof.   
  
"I never was a big fan of traditional gender roles," Jules retorted with a grin as she took the giraffe and examined it. "I say we name her Sandy."   
  
"Definitely not. I had a traumatizing experience with a Sandy in Elementary School. Lets just say it involved me soaked with milk and many sleepless nights. I'd rather not recall it." Will responded dramatically.   
  
Jules looked up to him with an amused expression.   
  
"Yeah, don't even ask," Will said, smiling, "and how do we know it's not a guy?"   
  
Jules picked up the giraffe and turned it over, showing it to Will.  
  
"Trust me, it's a girl." Jules said, wiggling her eyebrows. Will's eyes widened slightly before letting his laughter overtake him.   
  
"Okay, that's more than a little bit sketchy."   
  
"So Sandy's out." Jules replied, grinning once again. "How bout Abagail?"   
  
"Nah. I think she's definitely a Suzie."   
  
"Suzie! Brilliant!" Jules exclaimed, placing the giraffe down in front of them. She pulled out the straw from her drink and licked the drips away before pointing it at the giraffe's head. "I officially name this giraffe Ms. Suzie Vaughn."   
  
"Vaughn?" Will exclaimed, pretending to be appauled. "Why does she get to be a Vaughn and not a Tippin?"   
  
"I _did_ win her, after all." Jules joked, jabbing Will softly in the stomache.   
  
"Hey, no need to get violent," Will laughed.   
  
Jules just smiled up at Will as she slipped her free hand into his and leaned into him. Will looked down in suprise, then sighed as they walked in silence out of the carnival and onto the boardwalk.   
  
"So, it's only 9:30, you want to get some coffee or something?" Will asked.   
  
"Actually, I was hoping, maybe we could head over to the beach...I know it's late and all, but it's just been so long..." Jules said nostalgically, looking over to the ocean, which was swaying rhythmically with the night.   
  
Will looked over the boardwalk to the empty beach.   
  
"Sure." He replied, walking her to the steps leading to the sandy shore.   
  
"I know you must think I'm crazy," Jules said, shaking her head as they settled down on the sand. "sitting on the beach, in the middle of the night, on a cold day in December..."   
  
"No, I don't," Will responded quickly as he started to take off his jacket.   
  
"Keep it on," Jules said, shaking her head as she touched Will's arm. "My jacket's warm enough."   
  
"Are you sure?" Will asked questioningly.   
  
"Of course," Jules replied before she broke out into a fit of giggles.   
  
"What?" Will stared at her in wonder. He had never met anyone quite like Jules before, and even though they'd only been out for a few hours, and he'd only known her for a couple of days, he already knew it would be tough to say goodbye. It had been a long time since he felt something for anyone other than Sydney. And it actually felt nice to have someone feel the same way he felt for them.   
  
"Nothing," Jules said as she caught her breath. "You have to excuse my random fits of wierdness. I really have no control over it."   
  
"Oh, I see," Will said smiling as he looked out across the ocean.   
  
"Isn't it beautiful? When you live here you forget how amazing it is to have places like this at your fingertips. I used to love coming to the beach as a kid. There was always something so soothing about it. Even if it was packed with people."   
  
"I know what you mean," Will started, running his hands through the sand, "recently, I've been coming down here a lot more."   
  
Jules looked up at him, practically reading his mind.   
  
"Because of Sydney."   
  
Will snapped his head back up in suprise.   
  
"Wha--How did--"   
  
"I can see it in your eyes." Jules replied simply with a smile. "You like her don't you?"   
  
Will sighed and looked up for a moment before making eye contact with Jules once again.   
  
"Yeah, I used to. Keywords: _used to_. Something changed recently. Ever since I found out what she really does and what her life is really like, it's just hard to find myself wanting to be with her romantically more than wanting to just be there for her. It's painful more than anything to just sit back and let her go out and risk her life everyday with no one to protect her."   
  
"But that's where you're wrong. She has Mike. It's Mike's job to keep her safe and I can promise you, he is the best guy for the job. Plus, from what I've heard, she can hold her own pretty well, too." Jules said, rubbing Will's arm comfortingly.   
  
Will smiled up at her, then wrapped his arm around her shoulders, letting her rest her head on his shoulder.   
  
"Yeah, I know. You know what? Let's stop talking about Syd. It's just you and me here enjoying our date."   
  
"Here here. I agree." Jules said, as she sat up and moved across from Will. "And you wanna know what I want to do?"   
  
"What?" Will asked with a chuckle.   
  
"I want to know everything about you. Where you grew up, who your friends were, who your first crush was, your most embarassing moment...everything."   
  
"Oh man," Will replied, smacking his head with his hand, "_everything_?!"   
  
"Yes, or I'll get Mike to 'hunt you down'" Jules said, grinning evilly.   
  
"Oh you so know I could take your brother down. There's no doubt in my mind." Will responded haughtily.   
  
"Yeah, you're probably right. All you have to do is get his knees. That boy's got some weak knees, my friend."   
  
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind in the future." Will said laughing.   
  
"So, let's see...Where did you grow up, Will Tippin?"   
  
"Right here, Juliana Vaughn. The wonder that is Southern California. Santa Barbara to be precise."   
  
"Hmm, very interesting. I guess that would explain those freckles you have on your face." Jules said, analyzing Will's face closely.   
  
"Hey, I don't have freckles." Will retorted.   
  
"Ha! Yeah right..." Jules said, grabbing Will's face and focusing in on the area next to his right eye. "I see, count em, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven...ten freckles. On this side alone!" Jules's laughing slowly faded away as she noticed the expression on Will's face. She let her hands slide down the side of his face as she locked eyes with him.   
  
"Is that all?" Will said, barely above a whisper.   
  
Jules nodded as her eyes zoned in on his lips.   
  
"Yeah, that's it." Before she knew it her eyes were closed and her lips were on his. All she could see were colors. Colors everywhere. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She's kissed guys before. Tons of guys, for that matter, but none of them were like this. None of them has this much...electricity. This much emotion. She couldn't help but wonder what drew this man to her. There was just something about him that she couldn't resist.   
  
The kiss must have lasted for an eternity because Jules could have sworn that everything was happening in slow motion. Her hands wrapping around his neck and her hands were running through his somewhat shaggy hair. She felt his hands exlore the expanse of her back, and though she desperately wanted more, she had to pull her self away.   
  
_I can't let this happen. Nothing is this perfect. I can't get too attatched to him...I can't get my heart broken again. I just can't. I don't have the energy for this. I can't keep living my life like this..._   
  
Jules quickly pulled away, and kept her eyes closed as she tried to catch her breath. She felt Will's forehead rest softly on the side of hers, and everything she told herself earlier was completely gone from her memory.   
  
She opened her eyes slowly and smiled as she was greeted by Will's sparkling blue eyes.   
  
_It's not humanly possible for someone to have such blue eyes. It's just not._  
  
"That was nice." Jules said with a smile as she felt her fingers wrap through Will's.   
  
"Yeah, it was." Will said simply. Before she knew it, Will was leaning in once more, and she quickly put her arms out to stop him.   
  
"Wait, Will..." She immediately felt bad as she saw a look of hurt and despair wash over his face. "I just want to tell you that..."   
  
"What?" he asked immediately.   
  
Jules didn't know how to say it without sounding completely crazy.   
  
_Yeah, so Will...I know I've only known you for what? a day or so, but yeah, I'm definitely falling head over heels madly in love with you, but there's one problem. I'm a raving lunatic who has let my past three boyfriends control my life and stomp all over me.  
  
Definitely won't work._  
  
"Nevermind," Jules said leaning in once again for a kiss.   
  
"No, what were you going to say?" He asked as he pulled away this time.   
  
Jules scratched her head and looked off into the horizon. There really was no need for her to be scared, and worst of all, express her fear to this incredibly sweet guy who really liked her. She was just letting the memories of those bastards that ruined months and months of her life control her even and. And why give them the satisfaction?   
  
_Now I have to tell him. Sh-t. I'm an idiot. I can never just enjoy life the way it is. I always have to bring up the past. The painful past, at that. Why can't I just move on?_  
  
"Jules, what's up?" Will asked, now concerned.   
  
"Will, This is going to sound completely and utterly insane, I know, but just please bear with me. I can't help it, I'm a Vaughn, we're crazy people. It's in our blood."   
  
_He's smiling! Good sign._  
  
"If this is about you leaving in two weeks I don't--" Will started, but was cut off by Jules.   
  
"No, it's not that. It's not that at all." She responded promptly.   
  
"Then what is it?" He asked, somewhat confused.   
  
"Okay, I know you're a sweet guy..."  
  
"Oh God," Will groaned, covering his eyes with his hands, "the kiss of death. You don't even need to continue. Wait, I thought we hit it off pretty well, didn't you?"   
  
_He's so adorable..._ Jules thought to himself as she laughed. She reached up and pulled Will's hands off his face and held them in her lap.   
  
"No. No no no no no. I really like you, Will, but I just wanted to let you know that--I guess you could say that I've had more than my share of bad experiences in relationships. And I'm not saying we're in a relationship, we have only been on one date but--I just don't want to have to deal with the crap that I've dealt with in my past again. Am I making any sense?"  
  
Will sat in silence for a moment, then stood up and ran a hand through his hand through his hair.   
  
"Well then, I'm going to get out now because I'm an absolute jerk and will only treat you like crap." Will said solemly as Jules's eyes widened. "Bye Jules."   
  
Will walked past Jules as she sat there, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. She tried desperately to say something, but the words wouldn't come out of her mouth. She sat in shock and almost screamed when she felt someone's breath on her neck.   
  
"Yeah, you definitely are insane." She heard Will whisper in her ear. Jules turned around right away and pushed Will onto the ground with all her might.   
  
"You--" she said, trying to sound angry, but failing when her laughter drowned out her words as she fell on top of Will.   
  
"So violent!" Will joked, as he held her wrists and she rested her chin on his chest. "Yeah, I think we've clearly had enough drama for one night and it's getting pretty cold. Let's get some coffee or something."   
  
"Sounds good." Jules said, grinning wildly as she stood up.   
  
~~~  
  
_Vaughn's Apartment_  
  
Michael turned his head, letting his eyes rest once again on Sydney's sleeping form. He just couldn't take his eyes off of her.   
  
_Okay, so I've slept for an hour or so after we "did the deed"...Yeah, I'm not really that fond of the term "sex" or "making love." I just think it's stupid to try to label this unworldly experience with one word or one phrase. It's inexplicable. And it should stay that way. Especially when it comes to Syd. I've always known I love her, but I guess it takes experiences like this to realy understand the magnitude of it all.   
  
Not just the love. And yes, pardon my sappiness, I'm a tad out of it. Just the magnitude of everything. Maybe Jack is right. Maybe this is too dangerous. Because I do have to admit, after experiencing that, I definitely have a bias. And all of my reasoning completely flies out the window when it comes to her.   
  
Can we really work this out? Form some sort of system where we can actually see each other? Be around each other without putting our lives and the lives of our loved ones in danger?_   
  
Sydney's eyes slowly began to flutter open. Michael smiled as Sydney looked at him and placed her hand over his face.   
  
"You've got a little stubble forming, now don't you?" Sydney teased rubbing his face.  
  
"You like it?" He asked, kissing her hand.   
  
"I must say, it's quite sexy," she replied, grinning as she snuggled against his chest.   
  
"I'll have to shave less often then," he said as she stroked her hair.   
  
"How long have you been up?" Syd asked with a yawn.   
  
"Awhile," Michael said grinning. He knew he'd been up for the last hour or so staring at her, but there was no way he was going to admit it.   
  
"I'm kinda hungry," Syd said, yawning as she sat up and pulled the blanket around her bare self. "What time is it?"   
  
Michael reached over the bed and turned the alarm clock towards him. He laughed as he read the time.   
  
"It's ten."   
  
"You've got to be kidding me." She replied laughing. "I guess we did have quite an evening."   
  
"Yeah, I guess so," Michael joked, as he reached over the bed for his boxers and slipped them on. "And I'm thinking we still have time to make our night pretty memorable also."   
  
Sydney rolled her eyes and pushed Michael playfully as he stood up.   
  
"Do you really think you've got that kind of luck?" She asked, reaching down for her underwear.   
  
"Clearly, you've never seen me hit the tables at Vegas. My luck is unparalleled. Seriously." Michael walked over to his closet and pulled out a pair of pajama pants and put them on over his boxers.   
  
"Boo!" He heard Syd call from the bed. He smiled over to Syd as he tossed a pair of boxers and a t-shirt her way.   
  
"Yes, yes, I know I have an amazing body and you would love to watch me parade around in nothing but my underwear, but I have this thing about walking around in my boxers." Syd laughed as she pulled the shirt over her head.   
  
"And what might that be?" She asked, clearly amused.   
  
"It's too drafty."   
  
Syd rolled her eyes but couldn't supress her laugh as she made her way over to Michael. He reached back into his closet for a t-shirt, but she grabbed his hand before he could do so.   
  
"What?"   
  
"I like you like this," Sydney replied with a grin as she ran her hands over Michael's abs and up his chest. His eye brows rose as he noticed the glint in Syd's eye.   
  
"What am I, your own personal Chippendale guy?"   
  
"Yes." She said adamantly, wrapping her arms around his neck.   
  
"Okay, cool." He replied, letting his hands settle on her waist.   
  
"You're really strange, you do realize that, right?" Syd asked, laughing at his response.   
  
"Yeah. And right back at ya." Michael retorted before leaning in for another kiss.   
  
~~~  
  
_Outside Starbucks_  
  
"So what kind of 'relationship' troubles did you have to deal with that made you get so strange on the beach?" Will asked as they left the Starbucks.   
  
Jules sighed as she reached the car.   
  
"Trust me, you don't want to know."   
  
"Oh no, trust _me_, I _do_ want to know." Will said teasingly as he opened the door and sat down.   
  
"Seriously, it wasn't pretty. Let's just leave it at the fact that I thought I was in love many-a-time and was basically left heartbroken because of my stupid naive hopes."   
  
"Wow, that sounds pretty bad," Will said, more serious now.   
  
"Yeah, it was," Jules replied sadly. "And I'd rather not talk about it. Or them. No wait, those things. I'd rather not talk about those things ever again in my life."   
  
Will laughed at Jules's sudden stubborn tone.   
  
"Okay, sounds good to me."   
  
"But I have a better idea," Jules replied, grinning, "why dont you tell me about that little crush you had for Sydney."   
  
"Umm..Uhh..." Will stuttered nervously.   
  
"Wait, let me just say that you are so cute flustered and nervous. And, also, I don't think it's humanly possible for someone to turn the shade of red that you're turning right now."   
  
"Let _me_ just say that you're the only girl that wants to hear about her date's past crushes."   
  
"Well, its more complicated when it comes to you, because your past crush is my brother's girlfriend and my soon to be close pal." Jules said matter-of-factly.   
  
"Oh, and that makes it so much more less embarassing for me." Will replied sarcastically.   
  
"Uh-huh. So speak."   
  
"It was stupid. I had a crush on her ever since we were in college, but she never really saw me as anything more than a friend. She had Danny...They were engaged even. But when Danny died, I felt like I had the responsibility to be there for her. We got drunk one day, I kissed her, and basically made a fool out of myself for the following days, weeks even. By the time I found out the truth about her, I realized that she didn't need me to be acting like some stupid love-struck teenager around her. She needed me as a friend. And that's what I had to be for her. A friend, and nothing more."   
  
"Awww," Jules said mockingly. "Now that wasn't too hard was it?"   
  
"It wasn't a matter of being hard, it was a matter of being incredibly embarassing."   
  
"It wasn't embarassing! It was cute!"   
  
"Okay, if you calling that cute isn't embarassing, I don't know what is." Will said, smiling. "Plus, she loved Michael, so I was kind of out of the picture anyway."   
  
"Is that jealousy I sense?" Jules joked, poking him.   
  
Will smiled genuinely and looked over at Jules for a brief moment before looking back at the road.   
  
"Only because he gets to see you so often."   
  
Jules blushed as she smiled and tilted her head towards Will.   
  
"You're the king of cheese, you do realize that, right?" She asked, leaning over and placing a kiss on his cheek.   
  
"Of course."   
  
**END CHAPTER ELEVEN**


	12. A Step Away From What is True

****

Chapter Twelve - A Step Away From What is True  
  
_I've seen suckers lose themselves in the games   
They learn to play   
Children love to sing but then their voices   
Slowly fade away   
People always take a step away   
From what is true   
That's why I like you around   
I want you   
  
"I Want You," Third Eye Blind_  
  
Jules walked into the apartment, sighing as she tossed her jacket onto the couch. She made her way to the sink to grab a glass of water when a note with her name on it caught her eye. She moved towards it and picked it up suspiciously.   
  
_Jules--  
  
I hope you had fun tonight -- But not too much fun. I've got the bedroom for the nigth so I left your stuff on the couch. Hopefully you won't mind.   
  
Love,  
Mike  
  
PS: Oh, and by the way, don't come in my room unless you want to be scarred for life._  
  
Jules shook her head, and despite the voice in her head that was screaming for her to be grossed out and angry, she couldn't wipe the dopey grin off her face. It had been a long time since she'd felt this way for a guy. Come to think of it, when she had, she had her heart trampled over...  
  
_I can't get too attatched...Just think of it as a fling. I'll only be here for the next couple weeks or so, and then I'll have to go back to Boston. Back to my old life. Without Will.   
  
What am I talking about? I'm making it seem like we've been dating for months or something. This won't be hard. He's a sweet guy but it's not like he's my soulmate or anything...  
  
But how am I supposed to find out if I only have two weeks. It's not fair. What if he_ is _the one? The man that I'm meant to spend the rest of my life with, but I'm just going to blow it off...  
  
Okay, yeah, I'm definitely going crazy and I need to calm down. Soulmates? Marriage?  
  
Breathe, Jules, breathe._  
  
Suddenly, the door to Michael's room slowly squeaked open. Jules looked up from her position by the counter and watched as her brother walked out of his room with a sparkling smile stapled to his face.   
  
"Oh God, please don't begin to describe anything." Jules joked, rolling her eyes.   
  
"Ha ha, real funny. I came out to check on you," Michael said, jumping up onto the counter. He pulled a box of cereal towards him, opened it up, and tossed some into his mouth.   
  
"In case you forgot, Michael dearest, I'm actually 29. I don't need you to check up on me."   
  
"Well clearly you do seeing that you just snapped at me. It may have been a Jules snap, and therefore was sickeningly polite, but it was a snap nonetheless. So how was your date? And don't say good just to protect Will from the ass-kicking of the century."   
  
"No, that's the thing. The date was perfect. Absolutely perfect." Jules repled dreamily as she walked over to the couch and plopped down on it.   
  
"Then what's the problem? I just realized that you are an incredibly tough nut to crack, Juliana Vaughn," Michael responded, jumping off the counter and heading over to the couch. "You're like a walnut or something." He said under his breath as he sat down beside her.   
  
Jules couldn't stop herself from laughing.   
  
_How did such a nerd get to be so popular with the ladies?_  
  
"You're not much of a peanut yourself, brother." Jules mocked, leaning her head on the back of the couch.   
  
"But really, Jules. What's up? Why are you so distressed? If you're worried about Will, I was just kidding about kicking his ass...he's a good guy. I know him. He'd never do anything to hurt you. He's not anything like--"  
  
"Just stop, Mike." Jules snapped immediately. "Just stop."   
  
Michael looked across the room then turned his head back towards his sister.   
  
_If I had been back in Boston when all this sh-t was going on in her life, it never would have happened. I'm telling you, it wouldn't have. She says she hates my overprotective nature, but look what happened when she didn't have me there to protect her..._  
  
"Mike, I know what you're thinking and you can't always be there to protect me and 'shield me from harm.'" Jules said, shaking her head. "You're my older brother, yes, but that doesn't mean you have to feel like you have this God given duty. How do you expect me to grow into my own self if I don't experience things like that."   
  
"I see what you mean, but obviously, it's been months since you broke up with him and you still haven't gotten over it. He treated you like crap, Jules, and you didn't have to take it."   
  
"Mike, please, not now..." Jules pleaded, resting her face in her hands.   
  
"Okay, okay," Michael replied, wrapping an arm around Jules's shoulders. "Now tell me what's really on your mind."   
  
Jules sighed and buried her face into Michael's shoulder.   
  
"I don't know, Mike. I just don't know. I was really happy and excited when I came home, but then I got around to thinking..."   
  
"That you'll be leaving in a couple weeks." Michael finished Jules's sentence.   
  
"Yeah, and I really like Will, I really do. But I just started thinking, what if this is the guy for me? What if I was meant to come here and fall in love with him and--"   
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop right there." Michael said, pulling away from Jules and looking her in the eyes. "Falling in love? Jules, don't you think it's--"  
  
"Well, not really falling in love, per se..."   
  
"You've only been on one date with the guy!" Michael exclaimed, standing up. "Jules, you can't set yourself up for heartbreak like this."   
  
"Okay, just forget I even said anything." Jules whispered loudly as she marched towards the bathroom. Michael caught her arm and shook his head sadly.   
  
"I'm sorry, Jules. I didn't mean it like that. What I just mean is..." He tried to find the right words. He didn't know Jules was always able to do it; give the perfect advice and always be supportive. Or not always, but almost always. How she was able to always know what to do, yet always hit these strange obstacles within herself. "Why do you have to go and fuss about this now? You have two weeks, maybe even a little more to spend with the guy. Get to know him, figure out if your intution is really right...if you do really _love_ him. And once it's all said and done and there's no way you could possibly leave him behind and go back to Boston, we'll figure out a plan of action. Until then, enjoy it. Because you don't know how long it'll last."   
  
Michael looked down at his feet, then over to his door. Jules smiled, and put her hand on his face, turning it back towards her. "Thank you, Mike. For once you actually had something insightful to say. I don't see it happening again any time soon. And don't worry about it. You'll find a way. You've always been able to, before. What should stop you now?"   
  
_She's obviously never met the beast that is Jack Bristow._   
  
"Yeah," Michael replied smiling also. He shook his head then looked back up at her. "So everything's good?"   
  
"Everything's good." Jules said with a grin. "Now go back and don't be too loud becase I will seriously consider burning my ears off."   
  
Michael gave her an 'Are you out of your mind?' glare, and she just laughed.   
  
"I kid, I kid."   
  
Michael glared at her one last time before he made his way back to his room.   
  
"'Night, Jules."   
  
"Goodnight, Mike."   
  
He softly closed the door behind him and slowly crept towards the bed, making sure he wouldn't wake Sydney up. As he crept back into bed, Syd turned towards him in her sleep and nuzzled her face in his chest.   
  
"You're an amazing brother, you realize that, right?" She asked tiredly, her warm breath sending chills down his spine.   
  
"Those ears of your's are damn good." Michael said, laughing. Syd lifted her head with a grin spreading across her face.   
  
"What can I say...You were talking pretty loud."   
  
"I'm sorry--"   
  
"Don't be." Syd responded. "Don't be." She settled back down into her prior position and started to close her eyes as Michael spoke.   
  
"Yeah, I know I am."   
  
"You know you're what?" She asked.   
  
"An amazing brother." He replied simply. She laughed and smacked his arm. "What?! I am..."   
  
~~~  
  
_The Next Day_   
  
"Hey, Syd, where have you been?" Francie asked just as Syd walked through the front door.   
  
"Oh, Hey Fran!" Syd exclaimed as she took her jacket off and placed it on a chair beside her bag.  
  
"Don't 'Oh, hey Fran,' me. Will told me all about your little rendezvous with that _Michael_ of your's from work..." Francie responded devilishly.   
  
"Oh, he did, did he?" Syd replies, shooting Will the death stare.   
  
"Indeed he did. And you're going to be telling me all about it...But later. I have to head out to the restaurant now."   
  
"What?! But you just came back!" Will complained, taking a bite of his cereal.   
  
"I know, I'm sorry honey. I'll be back a little later though." Francie picked up her jacket and keys and practically raced out the door.   
  
"Oh man, that restaurant is really eating up her time, isn't it?" Will asked, turning his attention back to the newspaper in front of him.   
  
"You...You..." Syd said accusingly as she pointed a finger in Will's face.  
  
"What?" He asked with a grin. Syd rolled her eyes and sat down on the stool beside him.   
  
"How was your date?" She asked tiredly. She had to admit, she liked the fact that Will and Francie both knew. There was nothing to hide anymore. Alteast that's what she figured. And as long as Francie doesn't go around opening her big mouth...  
  
"It was amazing, Syd. Amazing." Will replied, beaming.   
  
"Really? Amazing, huh?" She had never seen Will this happy...atleast not in a long time. She liked it.   
  
"Jules...She's like...Oh man. I don't even know what she's like. All I know is that she's unlike anyone I've ever met..."   
  
"Oh, thanks." Syd quipped sarcastically.   
  
"You know what I mean..."   
  
"Yes, of course!" Syd said, walking towards the fridge. "Where did you guys go?"   
  
"The carnival." Will answered laughing.   
  
"The carnival? Will Tippin, you are one smart man. You know the key to a woman's heart. Excellent choice for a first date. Excellent."   
  
"Why thank you."   
  
"And then what did you do...?" Syd asked, wiggling her eyebrows.   
  
"Well...We went to the beach..."   
  
Syd gasped and clutched her heart dramatically.   
  
"The beach?!" Will couldn't help but laugh as he saw tears froming at the edge of Sydney's eyes. "She's a lucky woman, Will."   
  
"Well, she was actually the one who asked to go down there..."   
  
"Oh. Then scratch that. You're a lucky man."   
  
"Trust me, I know." Will said, turning back to his cereal. "I think I'm going to see her again tonight..."   
  
"Awesome!" Syd said, pouring some milk into her own bowl. "Be sure to check with me before you make a fool out of yourself, fashion-wise."  
  
"Hey! I take offense to that! I pride myself of my personal-style." Syd laughed and rolled her eyes mockingly.   
  
"Well, I'm glad you had a good time," Syd added, turning serious.  
  
"Yeah, I am too," Will replied, nodding. "I--"   
  
All of a sudden, Syd's cell started ringing.   
  
"Oh God, don't tell me that son of a bitch, Sloane, wants you to go back to work." Will said exasperatedly.   
  
Syd picked up her phone and read the number.   
  
"No...It's my Dad...Excuse me." She stood up and made her way towards her bedroom. "Hello?"   
  
"Sydney. Meet me at the warehouse, right now. This is urgent."   
  
"What happ--" Before she could ask any questions, Jack hung up. Frantic about what might have happened, Syd put on her jacket in record time and grabbed her keys. "Sorry, Will, but I have to go. I'll be back a little later."   
  
~~~  
  
_At the Warehouse_   
  
"Dad, what happened? What's going on? Is everything alright?" Syd asked desperately as she ran into the warehouse to meet Jack.   
  
"No, Sydney, everything is _not_ alright." He responded, shaking his head.   
  
"Wha--What happened?" Syd asked, out of breath.   
  
"Sydney, I know you have been _intimate_ with Agent Vaughn, but it needs to sto--"   
  
"_This_ is what you called me here for?" Sydney was fuming. No, fuming is an understatement. "You say it is urgent, you say it is an emergency, and _this_ is what you call me here for?"   
  
"Yes, Sydney. Because this _is_ an emergency. You're practically throwing your life away and you don't even care--"   
  
"No, I'm not going to discuss this with you." Sydney called out as she turned around and began walking towards the exit.   
  
"I already talked to Agent Vaughn..."   
  
"You what?" Sydney asked, turning around.   
  
"Yes, I saw him leaving your house the day after Christmas. I thought atleast _he_ would understand the absurdity of this all. What danger you're putting yourselves into. Secret covert affair...Going to each others houses with barely any precautions. You've practically signed your death certificate. But no, he kept talking about happiness. About how you both were happy and how 'that's all that matters.' He doesn't seem to realize that 'being happy' does not matter in the life we live. You learn to deal with it, because it's the only way you will survive."   
  
Sydney sat in front of her father, staring at him intently. Her look of curiousity slowly changed to burning anger.   
  
"You were _spying_ on me?!" She exclaimed angrily.   
  
"You asked me t--"   
  
"No, I didn't ask you to confront Michael. I didn't ask you to butt your nose in our affairs. I asked you to take care of secruity section for one day, _one day_ so I wouldn't have to spend Christmas alone. I'm not going to live a sad and lonely life, like you Dad, just because of my fear. I'm sick of being afraid to love, Dad. I'm not going to let Sloane control every little part of my life anymore. I'm a grown adult and I can take care of myself, I don't need your help. Or advice for that matter."   
  
"Sydney, I know you don't mean that."  
  
"Like Hell."  
  
Jack sighed and looked up towards Sydney.   
  
"You may not care about what I have to say now, but let me just say it. You're life is _never_ going to be perfect. You will _never_ go riding off into the sunset with your knight in shining armor and live happily ever after. You're life isn't going to be a Cinderella story. At best, it'll be Romeo and Juliet. At best."   
  
Jack turned around and walked towards the exit.   
  
"I'm not going to lose my daughter because of her own stupid naivety. I can't lose another person in my life, Sydney."   
  
Once Sydney saw that Jack had left the warehouse, she fell into a heap on the floor. She felt her face scrunch up and she knew the tears were flowing but couldn't feel them. She didn't care about any of that...She didn't want to live a perfect life. She just wanted to be normal. For once in her life.   
  
_Maybe Dad is right,_ she thought as she pulled her cell out and dialed, _There's no way this can end well. No way. No matter how hard we work to hide it, we'll never be safe._   
  
"Vaughn."   
  
Oh God.   
  
"Meet me at the Warehouse." She says simply, in tears.   
  
"Sydney, are you al--"   
  
Click.   
  
Syd sat there in silence for the next twenty minutes. The only sound that could be heard throughout the whole warehouse was the sound of her uneven breathing. She couldn't stop crying and she had no idea why. She could always stay in control. Always. Why did that change now?   
  
No matter what she told herself, nothing seemed reasonable. Nothing seemed safe. Everything was wrong.   
  
It felt like she had waited an eternity when she finally snapped her head up and saw Michael jog into the warehouse. She stood up and felt the sobs wrack her body as he walked through the chain-link fence.   
  
"Sydney? What's wrong?" He asked, pulling her into his arms.   
  
The words couldn't come out of her mouth, so she decided to just let it out. Let all the pent up anger and frustration and fear and everything...just let it all out. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she could feel him rubbing soothing circles on her back and whispering things in her ear.   
  
_I can't give this up. I won't. He's wrong...He's wrong..._   
  
Slowly, her breathing steadied, and the tears started drying up. Michael gently pulled her head off of his chest and looked into her eyes.   
  
"Sydney, please tell me what's wrong. You're scaring me."   
  
"My Dad...He..."   
  
"Did he come to see you?" Michael asked, the realization suddenly hitting him.   
  
Afraid that the tears would start to spill out once again, she simply nodded her head.   
  
"Dammit. Don't listen to anything he says, Sydney. He has no idea...No idea..."   
  
"But Michael..."   
  
"No buts. If he just saw, for one second, the look on your face...How happy you are when we...He just has no idea, Sydney."   
  
"Michael, how will we--"   
  
"We will find a way. We will work something out. And I swear I will not let anything happen to the two of us. Nothing."  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
"Sydney," he said tiredly as he sat on a crate, "life isn't easy. You have to work to get what you want. Sometimes some people have to work harder than others. Just because it'll be a little tough doesn't mean we should just give up altogether. We have a connection unlike anything I have ever experienced, and I'm not going to just throw that away. I love you, Sydney."   
  
"I love you too, Michael," Syd sighed, crying once again as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shirt. He gently lifted it up and wiped the tears off her face.   
  
"Just please don't cry. I can't stand to see you like this. It takes a lot for you to actually do this, and I don't want to be the cause of any of your pain."   
  
"Never," she placed her hands on his face and held it for a moment. "You'd never be the cause of any of my pain. Ever." She rested her forehead on his, and before they knew it, their lips were on each others.   
  
Michael slowly pulled away and wiped the fresh tears off of Sydney's face.   
  
"What is this?" He asked, trying to lighten the mood.   
  
"Uhh...Tears of joy...?"   
  
**END CHAPTER TWELVE**   



	13. Sail Away With Me

**Chapter Thirteen - Sail Away With Me**   
  
_Sail away with me honey  
I put my heart in your hands  
Sail away with me honey now, now, now  
Sail away with me  
What will be will be  
I wanna hold you now  
  
"Sail Away With Me," David Gray_   
  
"Of all the superheroes you could ever possibly want to be, you chose Batman? You, my friend, were a sad excuse for a child." Jules said laughing then taking a sip of her water and placing it back on the table.   
  
"What's so wrong with Batman?" Will asked, also laughing. "I always thought he was cool...I mean with all his gadgets and his Batmobile and the Bat signal. _Nothing_ is cooler than the Bat signal. Seriously."   
  
"What about his Robin?" Jules asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.   
  
"_What_ are you trying to imply, Ms. Vaughn?"  
  
"Okay, fine, I'm just gonna come out and say it. Batman was gay, Will. Ever wonder what him and Robin did on those nights when there was no crime to be fought and it was just the two of them alone in the mansion? Oh, and don't even mention Alfred, cause he was one horny bastard, too."   
  
Will nearly choked on his drink as he listened to Jules's rant about Batman.   
  
"You're a dirty girl, Jules. See, people with dirty minds would obviously think such a thing, but people like me who have perfectly normal minds and have their heads screwed on straight know very well that Batman had tons of love affairs with women."   
  
"Hm, I guess so. But you eve wonder why they never lasted?"   
  
"Because he couldn't tell them the truth about what he did, clearly."   
  
"Ha, yes, _clearly_," Jules joked, rolling her eyes.   
  
"Okay fine, then, who did _you_ want to be when you younger?"   
  
"Oh, Wonder Woman, clearly."   
  
Will just sat back and began to scan Jules as a smile quickly grew on his face.   
  
"What?" She asked, now feeling the faintest trace of a blush spread across her cheeks. It had been a long time since a guy had looked at her with such open adoration. She wasn't used to it, but she liked it. Especially coming from Will.   
  
"Nothing," he said quickly, still grinning as he put his napkin on his lap.   
  
"That isn't a 'nothing' smirk. Tell me! What's so wrong with Wonder Woman? I thought she was every genX guy's dream woman."   
  
"Exactly."   
  
Jules raised her eyebrow and leaned over the table.   
  
"Now who has the dirty mind, Mr. Tippin?"   
  
"Touche."   
  
They sat in silence for a few moments, and Jules just sat in wonder. She didn't quite understand how she could be as happy as she was right at that moment, but her wonder was soon shattered by the one question she'd been trying so hard not to bring up or even think about.   
  
"So, when are you gonna have to be going back?" Will asked, his voice taking on a sad tone as he looked down then back up into Jules's eyes.   
  
She sighed and put on a fake smile before lowering her eyes from his gaze.   
  
"Well, uh, I think my ticket says January sixth, but I'm not sure..."   
  
"Oh wow. A little more than a week...We'll have to make this week a memorable one." Will reached out and placed a hand on hers and she looked up at his smiling face, and couldn't stop the silly grin from taking shape on her own face.  
  
---  
  
"Stop joking around Michael, I mean this. What are we going to do? We're in this too deep to just go back to work and pretend like nothing has happened to us during this time off." Sydney said into her cell phone as she washed her hands at the sink and made her way to her bedroom.   
  
"What other choice do we have?" He asked as she closed her door and made her way to the closet.   
  
"I don't know, that's why I'm trying to figure out a plan of action with you. I mean come on, you can't just tell me you'd be willing to do that. I know we don't really have any other choice, but let's make one. Hold on a second, I have to change--"  
  
Syd tossed the phone onto her bed and quickly slipped into sweat pants and a tee shirt before plopping down on the bed and picking up the phone.   
  
"Okay, come up with any brilliant ideas in those two seconds?"   
  
"What are you wearing?"   
  
"Michael, that doesn't sound like a question that will precede some sort of grand conclusion you have yet to reach. And if it doesn't I might just come over there and kick your ass for not caring more about this."   
  
"Come on, Syd, just humor me."   
  
"Sweats and a t-shirt, you horny bastard."   
  
"Dammit. I was hoping you'd be _nice_ for once and just _play along_..."  
  
"Yeah, like I'm really sitting here talking to you in the nude, Michael. What do you take me as, a freak?!"   
  
Syd couldn't help but smile as she heard Michael's exasperated sigh on the other line. Now she heard applause.   
  
"Thank you Ms. Bristow for turning some fun phone sex into a complete and utter failure. I don't think I can ever live out of that embarassement."   
  
"Don't _try_ to act like that's what you wanted, because I know for a fact that Michael Christopher Vaughn is not a phone sex kinda guy. And God knows I'm not either."   
  
"Damn, I thought it wouldn't hurt to just give it a try at least."   
  
Syd laughed and she turned around to lay on her stomach on the bed.   
  
"Come on, I really mean it...Let's be serious here and discuss our future. If we even have one. The only option I see as reasonable is me requesting a new handler."   
  
"Why in the Hell would you even suggest such a thing?! Are you out of your mind?!"   
  
"I don't know," Syd said, taking a deep breath, "clearly, our 'intimate' relationship will sway your judgement...It's hard to try to be rational when it's someone you care about out there in the field -- you get way too emotionally attatched, and I don't want to put you in that situation, nor do I want to be in it myself."   
  
"Syd, I hate to break this to you, but I've been way too emotionally attatched for almost a year and a half now. That's why we work so well together. I thought you of all people would know that."   
  
Syd paused before speaking up again.   
  
"I know, Michael, I really do, but what else can we do about this?"   
  
"Hey, I have an idea. Why don't we do this...Live our little covert illicit affair one day at a time. Then, once our vacation is over, I'll sweep you off your feet and we'll hide away at my Aunt's place in Normandy where no one will ever find us and we won't ever leave. That way we won't have to worry about anything, ever. Except for maybe the nosy neighbors who are always wondering how two people could possibly make the sounds--"   
  
"_Michael_..."  
  
Sydney felt her body relax as Michael's laughter filled her head.  
  
"Relax, Syd. We'll work it out. But let's not worry about that now. We still have what...A week and a half to enjoy what we have? Plus, I think we have enough to worry about seeing that we still have that whole you being a double agent for SD-6 and if you're caught with me in public it won't be pretty thing to worry about."   
  
Syd laughed bitterly and buried her head into her pillows.  
  
"How true."   
  
**END CHAPTER THIRTEEN**


End file.
